PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 22, 2020
The Maine Secretary of State’s Office is accepting public comment on its wording of a referendum question to stop Central Maine Power Co.’s New England Clean Energy Connect transmission corridor, which has qualified to appear on the November ballot. CMP contends the project would benefit Maine and the region by lowering carbon emissions, reducing fossil fuel usage and stabilizing electricity costs. But opponents say the project would create environmental damage and hurt homegrown solar, wind and biomass projects in Maine. In related news, the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices ruled Friday that Stop the Corridor, a campaign formed to oppose regulatory approval of the project, qualifies as a political action committee and therefore must disclose its financial backers.