WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Maine U.S. Rep. Jared Golden has asked the federal Department of Energy to reevaluate the presidential permit granted to Central Maine Power (CMP) for a $1 billion electricity transmission corridor.
In a letter to U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Golden, a Democrat who represents Maine's 2nd Congressional District, said the permit was granted by the Trump administration in January, but that the Department of Energy "reneged" on a previous commitment to hold a 30-day public comment period required under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Golden cited a Nov. 8, 2019, letter to U.S. Sen. Susan Collins from the assistant secretary of the Office of Electricity stating, "In the case of [New England Clean Energy Connect] NECEC, DOE intends to make a draft [environmental assessment] available for a 30-day public comment period to provide more time for input by your concerned constituents and local experts."
The controversial NECEC, a 147-mile corridor that would deliver hydropower from Canada, would cut through 53 miles of woods and mountain areas of Somerset County from the Quebec border to The Forks.
“Given the anticipated impacts this new transmission line will have on Maine’s forest and wetland ecosystems, as well as on the communities along the route, it is troubling that the permit was granted by the previous Administration without a more thorough National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review and robust public participation consistent with the process followed by the department for similar projects in New England,” Golden wrote.
Golden asked Granholm for an agency review of the permit as well as the accompanying environmental assessment and Finding of No Impact statement from the Department of Energy.
The congressman previously urged the government to require the environmental impact statement, hold a public hearing, and encouraged CMP to consider entering into a labor agreement with local unions working on the project.
Clean Energy Matters, a Political Action Committee created by CMP parent company Avangrid, said last month that the project had received all major permits and reviews by state and federal regulators, and that 275 Mainers were already working on the corridor.
But opponents, including the group No CMP Corridor, say would irreparably harm the environment. Late last month, the group submitted enough signatures to the secretary of state's office to prompt a referendum on the plan.