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Judge OKs referendum on utility corridor; appeal is expected

An attempt to stop a statewide vote on Central Maine Power’s proposed hydropower transmission corridor failed, but an appeal is likely.

PORTLAND, Maine — An attempt to stop a statewide vote on Central Maine Power’s proposed hydropower transmission corridor failed, but an appeal is likely. 

A Maine judge on Monday rejected a lawsuit that targeted petitions used to put the proposal on the November ballot. 

The secretary of state rejected 16,332 signatures but found that there were enough valid signatures to clear threshold to put the $1 billion project to a vote. 

The CMP-aligned Clean Energy Matters said the judge's decision will likely be appealed to the state supreme court.

The CMP proposal calls for the construction of a 145-mile transmission line to bring 1,200 megawatts of electricity from Hydro-Quebec to the New England power grid. 

Most of the transmission line would follow established utility corridors, but a new swath would be cut through 53 miles of wilderness owned by CMP in western Maine.

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