MAINE PUBLIC • December 16, 2021
A state judge has denied a request from Central Maine Power and its partners to block enactment of a voter-approved law that prevents further construction of a controversial, high-voltage transmission line through western Maine. The developers of the 145-mile-long New England Clean Energy Connect project had argued that they had “vested rights” to continue construction because of the amount of work that has been done to date on the corridor. As a result, the companies had asked Maine’s Business and Consumer Court to prevent Question 1 — a ballot initiative approved by nearly 60% of voters last month – from becoming law on Monday. But in a decision issued less than 24 hours after oral arguments, Judge Michael Duddy said the plaintiffs did not have “vested rights” under Maine’s Constitution.