Thorn Dickinson, President and CEO of NECEC Transmission LLC, claims that changes to the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project resulted from listening to Mainers. That opinion is not consistent with my experience with the NECEC project.
I have been opposed to the NECEC project since 2018 and have provided sworn testimony before the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) and Department of Environmental Protect (DEP). I have read and reviewed all of the intervenor testimony.
That intervenor testimony, which is available on the DEP website, does not portray a company that is listening to Mainers. Any changes that occurred were forced upon CMP/Avangrid/Iberdrola as a condition for receiving their permit.
An example is the re-routing of the transmission line corridor around Beattie Pond. The LUPC subdistrict rules and regulations require that vehicular traffic and development not occur within ½ mile of a designated remote pond. Beattie pond is classified as a remote pond. CMP/Avangrid/Iberdrola knew this when they designed their transmission line corridor. They nevertheless designed the transmission line corridor so that it would cross near the shore of Beattie pond. Why? Because that path was the least costly for the company. They did not change that path until it became clear that the LUPC would not approve their permit.
Another example is the use of public reserved land in Johnson Mountain Township and West Forks Plantation for the NECEC transmission line corridor. CMP entered into a lease agreement in 2014 with the Bureau of Parks and Lands to use one mile of public reserved land for the transmission line corridor without informing Maine people about that arrangement.
Since the transmission line corridor would substantially alter the use of that public reserved land, the lease agreement required the approval of 2/3 of the members elected to both houses of the Maine Legislature, in accordance with Article IX, Section 23 of the Maine Constitution. That requirement was presented at every public hearing about the NECEC. CMP/Avangrid/Iberdrola did not listen to that testimony and repeated the untrue statement that, “we own all the land,” forcing the filing of a lawsuit against CMP and the Bureau of Parks and Lands.
The belief that CMP/Avangrid/Iberdrola has listened to Mainers in the design of the transmission line corridor is total fiction.
John R. Nicholas
Winthrop
List 5 ways the line will substantially alter the use of that land.
And CMP isn’t required to get the 2/3rds vote from congress, it is why the permit was reissued a couple months ago after it was suspended for further review and new terms were agreed upon.
I would argue that opposition to the project was built by foriegn investment in Stop The Corridor and Say No To NECEC, and that they intended to hide this by registering as an LLC and Not For Profit, respectively. It is only due to some good investigative reporting on the part of Bangor Daily News and the Portland Press Harold that we actually know the Texas based owners of two recently constructed Natural Gas Power Plants contributed to both and may have in fact funded them from the start. Given the fact that both continue to refer to the effort they initiated as “grass roots” I think it’s safe to assume neither ever intended to admit their efforts were funded by out of state interests.
Now let us consider the impact these Texas based companies may have has on our region if they’d been successful. Their intent was to block the transmission of hydroelectricity generated in Quebec into the New England grid and they were willing to destroy the company that services those lines in the process. If successful this effort would have had serious negative consequences for those who rely upon those entities for employment, in other words thousands of Quebecois and Mainers. Not only that, they would have robbed the region of the economic benefits they provide.
Now, neither of the Texas based companies that funded this effort contribute substantially to the regional economy. That’s the nature of their business. It just doesn’t require a big local effort to burn fossil fuels imported from overseas. As such a small percentage of the profit from these efforts enters the local economy. Sure they rely upon those who operate the electric grid to transmit that energy, but that’s an effort they’re not going to pay for. Instead, they’ll encourage you to tear up your contract with those who do so you can fund a public effort to replace it with taxpayer money! Talk about greedy.
I want each of you to ask yourself if you were truly ever encouraged to consider the economic impact of either preventing more hydroelectricity from entering the New England grid or taking on the responsibility and cost of servicing our portion of it with your taxes. If the answer’s “no” I want you to ask yourself why.
This letter is spot on correct. Record numbers of letters to these state agencies from Mainers meant nothing to them. Even the changes they made CMP undertake were essentially state agencies finding a way to make this poorly thought out project work so they could grant the permits. One look at the entire route makes it clear they took the EASIEST possible route with the least number of landowners (i.e. CHEAPEST ROUTE). All other considerations were secondary or even further down their list. Hrtlss Bstrd, Why do you insist on 5? The simple fact of an UNINDUSTRIALIZED “PUBLIC” working forest becoming home to a power corridor with 100’+ steel towers running through it (never mind what later plans they have) is OBVIOUSLY a substantial alteration of it use. The added fact that Mills, while acting as state dictator (for covid issues), takes it upon herself to reissue a lease knowing that it is controversial puts the icing on the cake of the executive branch not coming close to listening or hearing the majority of the people of this state.
Peter, just because they didn’t listen to you and your following does not negate the fact that they listened to Mainers. Your negative voices are not the only ones that needed to be heard.
By the first two responses to your letter kind of makes that point for us, now doesn’t it?
Pine Tree “The simple fact of an UNINDUSTRIALIZED “PUBLIC” working forest” just because it’s unindustrialized doesn’t negate the fact IT IS A WORKING FOREST …. with plenty of logging roads and clear cuts to show for it.
Where do you people live that are so opposed to this? You’d have to live in a pretty isolated corner of the woods to not see regular power lines much less Transmission lines in your daily commutes. Then there is plenty of other evidence of civilization in all shapes and forms. Just the fact that you respond to this letter show us plenty. You consume electricity, you consume plenty of other commodities to make that PC, laptop or cell phone you are communicating on.
I also love how the NO side keeps saying the majority of Mainers are opposed to this. How do you come to that conclusion? I personally don’t know the fact either way but you guys keep shouting that out as fact when I feel you maybe be just shouting to hear yourselves … well shout!
Jay, ‘Say No’ does not take any of that money. Do not forget that HQ has purchased gas-fired plants. So your argument weakens. How does the corridor contribute to the local economy other than a 35 cent monthly bill reduction? Please. You have overthought yourself out of this discussion.
if the yes side believes this is a done deal,
Why are they still droning on and on about it?
Go enjoy learning Spanish or French Canadian or something constructive..
Because,
Everything Is Beautiful.