CMP/Avangrid/Iberdrola ads to promote the New England Clean Energy Connect project are false and demonstrate a pattern of deliberate dishonesty.
One ad states that NECEC would bring hydro power from Quebec to Maine. That statement, that is repeated often by CMP/Avangrid/Iberdrola, is false. Hydro power would be transmitted to Massachusetts pursuant to a contract between CMP/Avangrid/Iberdrola and Massachusetts. The ad also states that NECEC will help grow the Maine economy and strengthen Maine industry when the truth is that NECEC will result in only a handful of permanent jobs and harm the biomass and logging industries. The only economies that will be helped are in Massachusetts, Quebec and Spain.
A second ad tries to minimize the impact on Maine forestland from NECEC by stating that it will only affect one hundredth of one percent of Maine’s forestland. The denominator in that calculation, however, includes millions of acres of forestland that will never be developed such as Baxter State Park. In any event, for the wildlife, native brook trout, property owners and tourism businesses that will be affected by NECEC, the result of a 300-foot-wide by 53 mile long clear-cut through the western Maine mountains with 100-foot-high towers will be very devastating.
The ad also attempts to make a false equivalence between a logging operation controlled by the Maine Forest Service, with 12-foot-wide logging roads, to a 300-foot-wide by 53-miles-long transmission corridor that will be treated with herbicide every other year to suppress the forest growth.
CMP/Avangrid/Iberdrola is trying to put lipstick on a pig so that they do not lose the opportunity to make billions in profit from NECEC. I had hoped that they would behave in a more ethical manner.
John Nicholas
Winthrop
Again John… I ask .. where were you when they blew the tops of the mountains and built roads to them.. Lots of damage and the mountains won’t grow back…
You know, CMP/AVANGRID/lberdola would sell their monetary souls for this for profit, high powered, merchant line.
Here’s how their ad should run…
We care about Mainers and “our” Maine woods so we’ll prove it to you by….
Widening the existing “corridor” by 75 ft and decorating it with 85 to 100 ft camouflaged monopoles, so we can ruin your view-shed. We’ll also carve out 53 more miles of the north Maine woods, to complete an “extension” cord that will “connect” to Massachusetts so that state can reach its “clean” energy goals.
Hey, we know we’re going to destroy environmental treasures in that working forest and what we cut will never be allowed to grow back but we’re going to pay “our” state a pittance while we make billions!!!!
And let’s not forget that “clean green energy “ that Hydro-Québec will supply to Massachusetts, oops we mean Maine. Just never mind that Hydro-Québec has committed cultural genocide relating to the native Canadians to appease their sole stockholders, the government of Quebec.
And never mind that we lobbied hard too defeat LD-640, an independent study that could have proved what we as a corporation won’t back up, that being “will this project really reduce greenhouse gas emissions?”
Now don’t forget, our project will “guarantee” an “estimated” 38 jobs while potentially wiping out the Maine biomass industry and those companies that associate with that industry, costing “our” state hundreds of permanent jobs.
Just power on and trust us folks!!!!
Paid for by Spain, Quebec, Massachusetts, and a lot of corporations and others, wanting to make big bucks off of Mainers.
Mega Western Mtn. Wind is what will be done with that adjacent 150’. But only if NECEC passes.
We need to stop the destruction and exploitation at some point. Just because some has occurred doesnt make jt right to allow more. Enough is enough, the people of Maine see thru the lies and are saying No.
John, where’s the outrage concerning hundreds of acres of acres of fertile farmland being taken out of service and replaced by solar ‘farms’? Or electric vehicles that wouldn’t exist without heavy taxpayer subsidies? (By the way, CMP must love that)!
John, right on. And the impact is much greater if you consider the viewshed. You’ll see that scar from every hilltop around including 3 Appalacian Trail crossings. Not to mention that it’s just the beginning of a plan to industrialize that region with wind turbines and other wilderness incursions like the east-west highway.
Glen, some of us have fought against wind in the form of commercial wind turbines because they are subsidized, ugly and inefficient. You can’t win all the battles, but does that mean you stop fighting? Because stop fighting is exactly what CMP, Hydro-Quebec Avangrid and Iberdola want you to do. They’re going to continue to dump millions into propaganda and advertising in the hopes and we will just stop fighting. This is an elective for profit merchant project designed to make others, not Mainers, billions at the expense of our forest and environment now and our tourist industry in the future
The Moose River Valley has been home to my family for 8 generations, and we were taught to respect the lands that have sustained us since the 1800’s. My 8-year-old great niece provided testimony to the Maine regulatory agencies appealing for denial of the applications to run a CORRIDOR through our mountains. She clearly sees the reality of her future if NECEC gains approval. Our ancestors operated sporting camps on remote ponds, and both offer much the same Maine wilderness experience today. The western Maine mountains are a priceless component of Maine Vacationland, and the region is a significant contributor to the outdoor recreation revenue stream to Augusta.
The proposed 53+ mile 300+ foot wide NEW clear cut will forever impact thousands of families whose way of life and livelihood rely on the wilderness. This region remains the respite choice of generations of visitors to the western Maine mountains. NECEC is but phase 1. The adjacent wind transmission line is already planned, and Canada is counting on CORRIDOR STATUS so they can use our wilderness for pipelines and the East-West Highway.
Over 70% of polled Mainers oppose this for profit merchant project, so why is Governor Mills defying the majority of her constituents? it is increasingly clear that our current governor is not listening to Mainers. The only way we can override our governor is a referendum for the 2020 vote, so get your name on the citizens initiative petition. Time is running out for the people of Maine to determine the fate of NECEC.
Time to face facts people and quit living in this fantasy bubble you have created for yourselves. The Antis are just as dishonest about their ads as they claim CMP is about theirs. Our fearless leader Gov. Janet Mills told the UN that Maine would be carbon neutral in 10 years, it’s obvious at this point that Mills is a Green New Deal democrat, so the Antis can rest assured that the other muppets in congress(reminder, dems have the majority)will back her play because they will toe the party line and will hold up or veto any bills that get in the way of the NECEC or any other green or renewable energy project that comes their way. Now were Moody in office, the Antis may have stood a chance at getting the NECEC shut down, as Moody never really supported it anyway, Mills on the other hand always supported it, “I’d like to see Maine get more from it.”(paraphrased a Mills quote) which to me says she supported it right from the get go, she wants to see Maine get more, “But it’s not really a deal breaker if it doesn’t.” is what Mills’ quote says to me, so Antis if you think the state has your back, you’re wrong. The NECEC is going to happen, that is almost inevitable at this point, maybe the Antis have the required signatures for their ballot measure, which is doubtful as the newsfeed hasn’t blown up yet. They do have until 2/2/20 to submit the required amount of verified signatures, so who knows, the last I heard though had them at about a 3rd of what they need.
Thank You, John, for your excellent & informative letter. As just one of the extremely large number of dedicated,
“No CMP Corridor” Volunteers, throughout the state of Maine, I feel compelled to address any & all negative negative comments in response to John`s letter. As many of us learned in childhood, “Two wrongs do not make a right!” If Maine forests and mountain tops were damaged and obliterated to accommodate wind mills, that does NOT MAKE PERMITTING THE CMP CORRIDOR O.K.!!
The Corridor will permanently damage, destroy, & obliterate a tract through the beautiful & cherished North Western forestlands of Maine. (Note: managed logging by registered loggers is entirely different than completely destroying a tract of forest…..to remain destroyed for many years or forever!) The harm to our Maine forests, wildlife, streams, lakes, fish, North Western Maine Recreational Jobs, and the Tourist Industry has been broadcast loud & clear by all who work & volunteer for the No CMP Corridor cause and by the huge number of Maine residents that support the No CMP Corridor. Please remember our future generations here in Maine. I advocate for them, they should have the chance to enjoy the beauty of our North Western Maine Forest, as Mother Nature made it….unharmed!!
We have had an enormous amount of people signing our petitions throughout the state of Maine. We invite any registered Maine voter to sign the petition requesting that the following question be put on the November 2020 Ballot: “Resolve, To Reject The New England Clean Energy Connect Transmission Project.” A petition to sign for the above is available in Farmington at: The Mercantile Shop, 133 Broadway St, Farmington…(207)860-2828, hours:
M-Sat: 10 AM-5 P & Sun: 12 N-4 P. If unable to connect with The Mercantile and you are a Maine registered voter wishing to sign the petition, please contact me via e-mail at: wendyhsh@gmail.com, and I will arrange to meet you at a downtown Farmington location with the petition for you to sign.
Glen, Captain,
Mainers are now keen to the plans of corporations and some of our politicians. Wind, solar, hydro, eyes are wide open. Rolling us will not be as easy as previously thought. One might say “Once bitten, twice shy”.
HB,
How is my sentence structure and punctuation? I am trying.
Where’s the Outrage about the Wind Turbines and Solar Panels?
Well we all pick our poison, don’t we.
But these things get “snuck” in here by politicians.
Sometimes,, they get their way.
The Wind Farce was brought to us by Sen Angus King and his cronies. What a wasteful losing end game we are subsidizing to keep these inefficient destructive eyesores lining our “used to be” beautiful mountain ranges.
Fact is, they can’t “TURN” a profit on their own…
The solar panels in “MAINE”,,????
I admit I don’t know enough about then st this point..
Janet Mills is an Enviromental Progressive leaning towards the loonie bin with AOC type ideas..Yikes!!!
All in all,, these people and their contraptions suck the money right out of our wallets…
And accomplish nothing to improve any environment except th their own bank accounts.
Send Mills and King Packing ASAP.
Notes that’s a good enviromental policy right there.
Do you believe that wind power created in Maine is transmitted to Massachusetts pursuant to contracts between the wind developers and utilities in Massachusetts ?
The transfer and flow of electricity is not that simple and market rules are based on the physical constraints of transmission and the economical transfer of generation to end user.
State sponsorship of selected types of generation is to assure such generation reaches the network of transmission which includes every geographical entity within New England.
The State sponsoring such selected type of generation is entitled , by law, to claim the carbon-free attributes of the generation.
In no way, can the physical attributes of such power be transmitted for exclusive use by the sponsoring State.
Come on, this is a for profit venture from one country to another country by another country. Just how much control does anyone think our rules are going to help us. All I can say is the light switch is to far away with to many fingers in the pie to make me feel very comfortable.And I read them fingers are now reaching into Connecticut? Once you cut all the Pomp and Ceremony the eyes of profit are blind. I was brought up by a generation who can get by with less if i have to and still be happy. Where were you when the lights went out.
Mainah, Very good.
Hrtlss,
The only bubble l see is floating around in my champagne.
A toast to 2020 and all that it will bring.
Oh, and thanks for following the Say No to the NECEC newsfeed.
We all appreciate it….
See you at the polls.
To be honest, in looking at the issue from both sides for a while…we’re either going to do corridors such as this, or have to build nuclear reactors. The power needs aren’t going to go away. People want their cake, and to eat it too. What a first-world problem!
There will be impacts no matter what – esp. since we’re now “all in” on the trumped up climate change, and you REALLY think you MUST get rid of all carbon emissions (tho maine’s are SO tiny, and the US as a whole is QUITE good). You want new forms of energy – then you must make room for them. You can’t be spoiled about it and say NO to everything. It’s ‘the greens’ that want this change….this is how you get it. To save the earth (after all, it IS in dire peril, right? On the edge of DOOM), you must break some eggs. Sorry. The Corridor fits RIGHT IN with Mills’ plans for carbon neutrality, to be forced on us against against our wills. Democrats need to understand – this is the price. This should be forced thru as well. These are YOUR causes, being put into action!
I bet if CMP were gov’t-owned (as is now being proposed), this would be DEFENDED by many of the same ppl who are against it. The anti movement seems more about socialism and NIMBY than anything that benefits society and solves a problem.