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Our message at the ballot box was loud and clear on Question 1, and I appreciate that Maine Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Melanie Loyzim suspended Central Maine Power’s permit for the corridor until Avangrid’s pending lawsuit is resolved. A judge ruled against CMP Thursday and will allow the referendum law to go into effect Sunday. I further urge Commissioner Loyzim to suspend CMP’s permit until all court cases regarding the CMP corridor are resolved, including Black v. Cutko, the case dealing with the corridor’s crossing of Maine public reserve lands.
I believe the CMP corridor was a flawed project from the beginning, with high voltage lines plowing through 53 miles of forests and disturbing streams and remote ponds, all in an effort to supply Massachusetts with Canadian power that upon closer inspection is not as “green” as promoted to be.
We need more truly clean energy transmitted by a more sensible grid that knits together diverse sources of clean power. It’s heartening to witness the rapid growth of solar across the state and the recent advancements for offshore wind, as well as discussions of a reconfigured and reliable grid that serves Maine efficiently and effectively. These are projects that I can get behind.
Anne Winchester
Pemaquid