I was just reviewing the information relevant to the proposed Central Maine Power New England Clean Energy Connect corridor and, as I continued to peruse the facts, the thought that continued to haunt me was: “Ain’t that odd?”
The Mills administration made it clear that one of its priorities was to address climate change. When CMP first proposed ‘the corridor’ the idea was met by the Governor’s administration with a definitive negative reaction. However, shortly thereafter a meeting took place with the Governor and CMP and immediately the CMP proposal had new life and the contribution this project would make toward meeting climate change goals was the reasoning. The following was written in an article about Hydro-Quebec: “If Hydro-Québec were to reduce imports into New England through other transmission lines in order to supply Massachusetts, which the contract does not prevent or penalize, the impact on New England carbon emissions could be a wash.” (https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/hydro-quebecs-greenwashing-game/) (visited March 17, 2019). This statement effectively corrupts Governor Mills’ climate change benefit claim. Ain’t that odd that she still supports the CMP project given the very serious information about the Hydro-Quebec contract and potential commitments?
Ain’t that odd that we support the climate change platform by suggesting that when we rip a new, 53.5 mile, 300 foot wide corridor and widen another 86 miles an additional 150 feet, which totals ~3,500 acres of land? Ain’t that odd that this land, at worst, probably contains 10 cords/acre of merchantable wood, plus more in potential firewood so that we are harvesting over 35,000 cords of wood that represents approximately 224 tons of carbon per acre (link here) (>750,000 tons total) sequestered not to mention the ‘ability’ to absorb CO2 would be gone. Is this a good result for mitigating climate change? Ain’t it odd that 35,000 cords could be harvested and that if it’s not burned or chipped it would be hauled away in trucks at 8-15 cords/load, requiring significant diesel fuel to harvest, load and transport this wood? Even at 15 cords/load we are talking more than 2500 trips and that might be a significant amount of diesel fuel expended and exhaust blown into the atmosphere. Ain’t that odd that we are combating climate change in this way?
Ain’t that odd that there have recently been two articles in the Portland Press Herald that support the corridor and the reasoning seems to be CMP talking points? Ain’t that odd that people with impressive credentials like Richard Barringer and Ken Kimmel (Union of Concerned Scientists) side with CMP but when asked (I wrote to them) the response I got was CMP talking points. Ain’t that odd that neither of these experts relied on any independent, scientific research upon which to base a decision of support?
Ain’t that odd that Tux Turkel claimed that ‘dark money’ is being used by opponents of the NECEC. I nearly coughed on my Moxie when I read that. (well, let’s be honest here, I don’t drink Moxie but thought it might endear me to my audience, so it was worth a try). Ain’t that odd that ‘dark money’ might be used to promote facts?
Ain’t that odd that CMP’s “benefit” to Maine ratepayers would be approximately 40 cents per month in today’s economy? Ain’t that odd that CMP’s proposal to provide electricity stations for electric cars means that CMP will sell more electricity! Ain’t that odd that another part of CMP’s support to Mainers will be to help promote the use of heat pumps, which I understand run on electricity, right? Ain’t that odd that CMP will profit to the tune of $5 million/month and the HQ will rake in $41 million/month? Ain’t it odd that Maine was offered $258 million over 40 years?
Ain’t that odd that no one in the Mills Administration has yet addressed the fact that Tom Saviello has called on the PUC to follow Maine State law – regulating public utilities – requiring a third-party analysis of the cost of the transmission lines as compared to the cost of alternatives.? (in this case the alternative is to NOT put in transmission lines). For anyone interested one should review the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A: Public Utilities. I do not see that Maine PUC is following its own statutory law … yet.
Ain’t that odd that no one has really brought up the EMR that will be produced by the power lines, even though it has be proven to be dangerous, particularly to children? But the power line won’t be anywhere near children, will it?
Ain’t that odd that CMP helped support the development and registration of a non-profit organization named Western Mountains and Rivers Corporation; provided it with a start-up fund of $250,000; promised an additional $50,000/ year for 5 years; and one of its members is Peter Mills? Ain’t that odd that this organization was incorporated in August 2017 and is a Non-Profit Corporation (T13-B), which is supposed to be a “Public Benefit Corporation.”
Ain’t that odd that no one has done an independent assessment of the potential damage to the ecosystem? Ain’t that odd that neither the Maine F&W Service or ACF has spoken up about the potential damage?
I am really lost for words about how this corridor could actually seriously be considered. Ain’t that odd that the only justification that is provided by CMP (and the Mills administration) condenses to CMP will profit immensely and the Mills administration hangs its hat on a totally speculative and capriciously worded contract that might have a positive impact on climate change, but probably won’t?
Richard Aishton
Farmington
..Very thoughtful and well written……What now Mills Administration ???
Who wins….Maine or Massachusetts ? This will be your Legacy….
Mills pension fund.
Bravo Richard! Ain’t that odd indeed. Thanks for presenting thoughtful questions that we all should be asking. And thank you mentioning the idea of “dark money” possibly being involved. Was the press invited to this meeting the governor had with CMP? What secrets are being kept from the public and who is keeping those secrets? Are certain key individuals benefiting financially from this without our knowledge? It’s possible and real journalists should be investigating! I hope we all realize by now how corrupt our “systems” have become nationally as well as locally. We the people need to come together now (despite our differences) and fight this with all we’ve got!
Ain’t that odd that sooooooooo many libs who voted for our governor and her fellow party members are
feeling bullied and ignored by the media and those in Augusta who make the laws. Welcome to the world
that allllllllll conservative live in. Ain’t that odd???
Clearly more evidence here for a special counsel investigation then in other situations.
WOW! Richard, with this commentary, you have done all of us a great service. Hope everyone reads this and spreads what your diligence has given. Those undecided on the issue may lean after reading this. ” You have assuredly awaken the unaware in our populace!” Thanks
Cheers Richard! I agree, it sure seems odd! Great summary of this project not passing the straight face test. I vote NO! It is not what’s best for Maine. Speak up Farmington. Have your voices heard!
Beautifully done, the Corridor debacle exposed for what it is
.
By the way, thanks for bringing up the EMR issue. It’s valid.
The Farmington vote to rescind and hopefully oppose the current letter of support for the Corridor is taking place at the Farmington Community Center, on the 25th, time 7pm. See you there.
And…
Bring your MOXIE.
While I agree that the corridor is a bad idea for Maine and that some “odd” things are happening in the approval process, I think the 224 tons per acre of carbon suffers from a misplaced decimal point. One cord of wood holds about one ton of carbon, varying by species. The merchantable bole of a tree is about half its biomass, the rest being limbs, tops, stump and roots. Thus one merchantable cord represents two tons of total carbon when the whole tree – root hairs to branch tips – is considered. At 10 cords per acre, 22.4 tons of carbon looks more reasonable than 224. However, the most recent data I’ve seen shows the average Maine acre holds 16-17 cords, which moves the needle a bit in the other direction – call it 35 tons per acre.
Tom Charles: https://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/how-much-carbon-do-different-forests-store-what-size-offsets-your-driving-for-a-year.html
Don’t forget about the significance of soils in this equation. Best
Tom – just a bit more info. Your figures are correct for MERCHANTABLE wood. BUT the carbon figures include the WHOLE tree including roots, leaves, branches and the soils (big part of the equation – in boreal forests this is huge). Northern temperate forests are less, but not that much). Anyway, I did the same thing you did and then started searching for information to see what it said and started finding more info. I also left out CO2 absorption capacity ….. that’s another whole game in how many cars can be neutralized with what is being cut.
Mike D – I believe that at this time we do need to toss partisan politics out of this discussion and focus on the problem and potential solution. It really does no one any good to politicize this whole debacle. It’s what ‘the other side’ wants to happen – it’s the old divide and conquer routine. I get where you are going and get your point but for now perhaps it’s more useful to look at the larger problem?
Odd indeed. And odder still is the scientific research that has been done but suppressed about the real effects of HydroQuebec. Far from providing ‘green energy’ and combat global warming, huge dams such as HydroQuebec actually create global warming in two ways by stopping the spring and fall freshets. First, the spring freshet would supply silica and other nutrients needed by diatoms, the lowest form of life in the food chain. Larger diatoms absorb more CO2, but diatoms do not grow without the silica in the spring freshet. So, less CO2 is absorbed and less food is available for aquatic life. Second, the spring and fall freshets are responsible for cold water enterring the ocean and for fresh water enterring the ocean. Both cold water and saline free water are responsible for the currents that churn up the sea water. So, the Gulf of Maine is warming faster than other similar bodies of water. Because of HydroQuebec. Have a Moxie, and ponder where the reduction in global warming is coming through a system which actually creates warming and eliminates the circulation of the sea water that dissipates warming and eliminates the organisms that use up the CO2. Not to mention the trees that will be removed from the corridor which also breathe in the CO2…because that was already mention. Curiouser and curiouser.
Two sayings come to mind, “you get what you pay for” or vote for in this case, and also ” elections have consequences”. I am sure that by the time the next election comes around a great portion of sheep will forget about this and vote for Jammit again.
Ozerki,
I respectfully disagree with you on the politics of this. It is 100% political. The Dems have taken extreme
Positions on climate change. Everything is a crisis!!!! They want drastic change now!!!! Some are saying
The end of the world is eminent if we don’t stop alllllll forms of green house gases in 12 years!!! They have
Some very aggressive folks pushing their agenda. It started many years ago slowly with Baldacci and then
King selling our mountain tops for wind power for the richer states to our south. The new crop of Dems
Want much more rapid change. This project was started a few years ago…it sounded good and some
Republicans including our governor Lepage signed on. Butttttt alot of new info has come out about this
Project and now many people who once supported it have changed their minds. Remember, Lepage put
A moratorium on new wind projects in Maine. Governor Mills campaigned in moderation on this project.
I believe she even said she was against it at one point. But our state voters went with the Democrats in
A big way last election because many folks hate President Trump and they turned out in an attempt to
Cripple his presidency. Now we have complete Dem control in Augusta. And our new governor is giving
Them everything they want!!!! She hasn’t said “No” to a single thing. She removed the moratorium on wind
Power soooooo now they can apply to ruin more mountains. And she signed off on this mess after getting
Some money to spend on more welfare for the low income folks….the vast majority of which will vote for
More Dems in the future. There is nothing in this deal for alllllll the working folks. I say vote NO on this
Deal and fight for a better deal that gives everyone a piece of the pie. How about GIANT rebates for any
Homeowner or business that installs a heatpump or solar panel…paid for by CMP profits or Mass folks.
Or free street lights (bulbs and electricity) for every town affected by the corridor…and lower rates for all
CMP customers in Maine!!!! Lets start there. And next time please vote for people who are not as
Motivated to destroy our lifestyle in these north woods. Just my humble opinion!!!
No corporation can do anything without the help of public officials.Nestle knows this and so does CMP…..The state of Maine is corrupt and full of corporate lawyers and lobbyists….We need ethical people to run for office or nothing will ever change………
I don’t know what syndrome the author has but after I read ‘ain’t that odd’ about a gazillion times I decided I love power lines.
Ain’t it ODD that David Flannagan former President of CMP and Former HEAD of the Democratic Party is the HEAD of her Team of Advisors. He’s the one who pushed Deregulation down our throats and settled over priced power contracts with his “Friends” for Hundreds of Millions that should have been torn up but instead were added to our power bills for decades. These “Stranded Costs” also came with Financing costs for decades that were also added on to our bills. I know because I was on the Utility Committee and after seeing the Corruption and Insider Deals I sttod on the floor of the House of Representatives and asked that CMP be declared Bankrupt but instead David Flannagan used his Insider Party Politics to Scam a Bailout of CMP that had the Rate Payers Bail CMP out. For Janet Mills to have David Flannagan on her Team says everything here. I remember 1 contract that was settled for $300 Million Dollars for 2 plants that weren’t even producing power and were appraised for $500,000. This is what has cost our state economic growth and inflicted Human Misery on all of us. We have become slaves to these rich and well placed Fatcats who have milked this state for everything they could…
Oh, Captain Planet ……….. :-)
If any of you voted for a career politician and expected anything other than this crap,,,DUH.!!
SUKS that the new Gov is no different than all the rest of the career Politicians down in the swamp where she will ultimately end up…
Welcome Home to the swamp Gov…
Sickening how deep the corruption is and how callously they think we’ll just lay down and keep taking it.
I’m pretty pissed about this.
The answer is No friggin O..
NO!!
So when did Republicans become the anti capitalism party and the Dems the pro? Just asking for a friend because I read somewhere that the end game of capitalism is the oligarchy exploiting our natural resources we have today. Or is it okay to be anti business if its NIMBY? Remember that Native Americans were shot with corporate rubber bullets and water cannons when they tried to fight the Keystone pipe line. Look at how much raw crude has spilled on sacred land since they put in. At least we have our priorities polarized enough to point fingers. We should at least ask for one billion over 40 years instead of the drop in the bucket joke of only 250m.