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Maine court hears arguments about bid to stop hydro plan

Parties have requested that the court decide on the matter by the end of August.

PORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s highest court heard arguments about the future of a citizens’ campaign to block a much-debated hydropower project.

Wednesday's arguments concerned the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC), which calls for the construction of a 145-mile high-voltage power line from Mount Beattie Township on the Canadian border to the regional power grid in Lewiston, Maine.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) granted the project a key certificate it needed to move forward, but petitioners gathered enough signatures to put the approval up for a statewide vote. 

Central Maine Power has proposed the transmission line. Avangrid Networks, CMP’s parent company, sued the state of Maine with a claim the citizens' initiative was unconstitutional and the vote should be barred.

The issues presented in court Wednesday included:

  • Whether a constitutional challenge of the initiative is ripe after the initiative has been certified by the Secretary of State but before it is presented to the electorate
  • Whether the initiative exceeds the initiative power of citizens under article IV, part 3, § 18 of the Maine Constitution because it reverses a final agency order
  • Whether an injunction should be granted prohibiting a vote on the initiative

Parties have requested that the court decide on the matter by the end of August.

Listen to the arguments presented Wednesday here:

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