NECEC says it has options to avoid public land, opponents say it won't work

In August, a Superior Court Justice ruled the CMP Corridor project did not have a valid permit from the state Bureau of Public Lands to cross a one-mile section on the route. NECEC is appealing the ruling to the Maine Supreme Court. Construction on the new, 53-mile section of the corridor is continuing, although the company has been told not to cut the public land portion of the route. On Tuesday, the Maine DEP began a hearing to decide whether to halt all construction of the new section of the corridor, until the court appeal is decided. NECEC said the case may not be decided until June, and stopping construction would cost them a lot of money. Opponents countered that environmental damage is being done meanwhile. Two alternate corridor routes are being considered to avoid the disputed public land section. Opponents, however, said both routes require crossing conservation lands and the groups that hold conservation easements on those lands indicate they won’t permit transmission lines.