There's a new tool in the tool box, transmission opponents!
The people of Maine have refused to accept the political approval of the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project by unelected bureaucrats. And they did something about it!
Yesterday, a grassroots citizens group, No CMP Corridor, delivered more than 75,000 signatures to the Secretary of State on a petition to invalidate the Maine Public Utility Commission's approval of the transmission project through referendum. Now the proposal will be voted upon by the people of Maine when placed on the ballot in November, 2020. If it passes, goodbye NECEC! This issue is going to be decided by the people, not politically by unelected bureaucrats.
This represents an awesome effort by a grassroots group opposed to the transmission line. In order to place a referendum on the ballot, the group was required to collect more than 63,000 signatures in just a few short months.
THEY DID IT!
This demonstrates enormous citizen dissatisfaction with Central Maine Power, a once local utility that is now owned by a foreign corporation. CMP has been embroiled in a billing fiasco that overcharged customers over the past several years, at the same time it has been trying to pull off the approvals necessary to build the NECEC. The transmission project is for the purpose of connecting existing hydroelectric generators in Canada with utility customers in Massachusetts. Massachusetts sought "cleaner" generation to meet a state mandate. Massachusetts wants cleaner power, but it doesn't want to make a sacrifice to get it. Instead, it first proposed new transmission through New Hampshire to make the connection, but that proposal was not approved by New Hampshire. Next, it considered the CMP proposal to use Maine as its doormat, running a new line through that state's last remaining wilderness. The people of Maine don't like it anymore than the people of New Hampshire did. You wouldn't like it either if someone in another state wanted to trash your place to hook up their designer "clean" energy for the purpose of virtue signalling. It's hypocritical, at best, for Massachusetts to pretend they are helping the environment in their own state by destroying the environment in another.
Over the past several years, No CMP Corridor has built an amazing citizen army, and they're not backing down. In fact, they're taking action! After the Maine PUC approved the project at the behest of the Governor in the wake of a $258M payoff of gewgaws for the state, the citizens went to their legislature to pass new laws to slow down the project and give the people a voice in their own destiny. Although the legislation passed, the Governor vetoed it. I guess this was supposed to discourage and stop the opposition.
But it didn't. It only made them stronger and more determined. Hats off to these strong and resolute citizens! They succeeded in doing something amazing!
Now that they have met (even exceeded) their petition signature goal, the Secretary of State must verify the signatures. CMP says they will be watching this process very closely. Let's hope they keep their dirty fingers out of it. The signatures have already been verified by the localities as belonging to registered voters. What's left for the Secretary of State and CMP to complain about?
CMP now threatens that it's going to begin construction of the project "this spring" after receiving the rest of its outstanding permits. Sounds like an empty threat to me. Permits never happen when a utility expects. There are always unforeseen delays. And it would be extremely unwise for the remaining permitting agencies to approve construction that may come to a screeching halt in November if the referendum passes. Would the agencies be putting themselves in a position to be sued for damages by CMP for giving them the go-ahead when this referendum is looming? For its part, CMP's chest-beating is about the most imprudent thing it could do. NECEC is a merchant transmission project. If they don't deliver to Massachusetts, they collect zero. Their investment would end up here.
The people of Maine have refused to accept the political approval of the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project by unelected bureaucrats. And they did something about it!
Yesterday, a grassroots citizens group, No CMP Corridor, delivered more than 75,000 signatures to the Secretary of State on a petition to invalidate the Maine Public Utility Commission's approval of the transmission project through referendum. Now the proposal will be voted upon by the people of Maine when placed on the ballot in November, 2020. If it passes, goodbye NECEC! This issue is going to be decided by the people, not politically by unelected bureaucrats.
This represents an awesome effort by a grassroots group opposed to the transmission line. In order to place a referendum on the ballot, the group was required to collect more than 63,000 signatures in just a few short months.
THEY DID IT!
This demonstrates enormous citizen dissatisfaction with Central Maine Power, a once local utility that is now owned by a foreign corporation. CMP has been embroiled in a billing fiasco that overcharged customers over the past several years, at the same time it has been trying to pull off the approvals necessary to build the NECEC. The transmission project is for the purpose of connecting existing hydroelectric generators in Canada with utility customers in Massachusetts. Massachusetts sought "cleaner" generation to meet a state mandate. Massachusetts wants cleaner power, but it doesn't want to make a sacrifice to get it. Instead, it first proposed new transmission through New Hampshire to make the connection, but that proposal was not approved by New Hampshire. Next, it considered the CMP proposal to use Maine as its doormat, running a new line through that state's last remaining wilderness. The people of Maine don't like it anymore than the people of New Hampshire did. You wouldn't like it either if someone in another state wanted to trash your place to hook up their designer "clean" energy for the purpose of virtue signalling. It's hypocritical, at best, for Massachusetts to pretend they are helping the environment in their own state by destroying the environment in another.
Over the past several years, No CMP Corridor has built an amazing citizen army, and they're not backing down. In fact, they're taking action! After the Maine PUC approved the project at the behest of the Governor in the wake of a $258M payoff of gewgaws for the state, the citizens went to their legislature to pass new laws to slow down the project and give the people a voice in their own destiny. Although the legislation passed, the Governor vetoed it. I guess this was supposed to discourage and stop the opposition.
But it didn't. It only made them stronger and more determined. Hats off to these strong and resolute citizens! They succeeded in doing something amazing!
Now that they have met (even exceeded) their petition signature goal, the Secretary of State must verify the signatures. CMP says they will be watching this process very closely. Let's hope they keep their dirty fingers out of it. The signatures have already been verified by the localities as belonging to registered voters. What's left for the Secretary of State and CMP to complain about?
CMP now threatens that it's going to begin construction of the project "this spring" after receiving the rest of its outstanding permits. Sounds like an empty threat to me. Permits never happen when a utility expects. There are always unforeseen delays. And it would be extremely unwise for the remaining permitting agencies to approve construction that may come to a screeching halt in November if the referendum passes. Would the agencies be putting themselves in a position to be sued for damages by CMP for giving them the go-ahead when this referendum is looming? For its part, CMP's chest-beating is about the most imprudent thing it could do. NECEC is a merchant transmission project. If they don't deliver to Massachusetts, they collect zero. Their investment would end up here.
And when is Massachusetts going to wake up to the fact that this project isn't happening anymore than the first proposal in New Hampshire? Someone in Massachusetts needs to put on their thinking cap and find a better solution to their "clean" energy needs.
The big energy interests are falling all over themselves now that the citizens have found a way to thwart them. The energy firms and political interests thought they had set themselves up in a never-fail world, where political pressure and lots of cash would guarantee them the ability to run over the common people. That world is now dead. Dead!
But still they arch their backs and hiss like they have a natural right to power over people. In actuality, they're probably soiling themselves while trying to desperately devise some new way to overthrow the will of the citizens.
No longer are transmission opponents the meek victims of a state's very political transmission permitting process. They have the power to overturn it through referendum, and the people of Maine have proven that it can be done!
Keep your eye on this exciting new tool and cheer these brave, determined folks on as they walk the path to victory!
The big energy interests are falling all over themselves now that the citizens have found a way to thwart them. The energy firms and political interests thought they had set themselves up in a never-fail world, where political pressure and lots of cash would guarantee them the ability to run over the common people. That world is now dead. Dead!
But still they arch their backs and hiss like they have a natural right to power over people. In actuality, they're probably soiling themselves while trying to desperately devise some new way to overthrow the will of the citizens.
No longer are transmission opponents the meek victims of a state's very political transmission permitting process. They have the power to overturn it through referendum, and the people of Maine have proven that it can be done!
Keep your eye on this exciting new tool and cheer these brave, determined folks on as they walk the path to victory!
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