AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Opponents of a proposed $1 billion transmission line aimed at bringing Canadian hydropower to the New England grid have cleared a hurdle to the state ballot. But a pro-transmission line group accused the opponents of misconduct.
Election officials certified 69,714 signatures, surpassing the threshold for the November ballot, the secretary of state’s office announced Wednesday. A minimum of 63,067 signatures from registered Maine voters was required.
The Maine Legislature will now consider this initiative. If the Legislature declines to enact it, then Secretary of State Mathew Dunlap will draft the ballot question.
Clean Energy Matters, the political action committee supporting the New England Clean Energy Connect, said it plans to verify that the signatures submitted were collected and organized consistent with Maine Election law.
The PAC believes some of the people collecting signatures were not Maine residents or registered Maine voters, and that some who were involved in the effort also notarized signatures, both violations of law, said Jon Breed, campaign director for Clean Energy Matters.
“While we take no issue with the Mainers who volunteered their time to collect signatures, the tactics of the paid political consultants who comprised the organization behind the signature gathering effort warrant further scrutiny,” Breed said.
Central Maine Power’s New England Clean Energy Connect would allow up to 1,200 megawatts of Canadian hydropower to reach the regional power grid to meet Massachusetts’ green energy goals. Massachusetts ratepayers are funding the project.
Supporters say the project will reduce reliance on fossil fuels, lower carbon emissions and reduce electricity costs across the region - at no cost to Mainers.
Critics accuse the utility of underestimating the environmental harm and failing to take into account the potential harm to homegrown solar, wind and biomass projects in Maine.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.