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May 14, 2009

Committee halts energy corridor plan

By The Mainebiz News Staff

A preliminary vote by a joint legislative committee has put the brakes on the Baldacci administration's plans to develop an energy corridor between Maine and New Brunswick until more studies can be done on the project.

The Committee on Maine's Energy Future voted yesterday to require a special commission to study how the new energy corridor development would benefit Maine before any project can move forward, according to the Portland Press Herald. The special commission would determine how the state could maximize the value of lease agreements with corridor developments and study the impact the corridor would have on renewable energy projects, with a final report due by Dec. 2. The proposal is expected to receive final committee approval today.

The committee's decision comes two months after Gov. John Baldacci and New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham jointly announced plans to develop the Northeast Energy Corridor, a project that has been opposed by members of the state's manufacturing and energy industry, as well as organized labor, the paper reported. Opponents, calling themselves Maine Jobs First, launched a major advertising campaign last weekend with a website and full-page ads in the Maine Sunday Telegram and Bangor Daily News, saying the Northeast Corridor would create jobs in Canada but not in Maine. This morning, Dennis Bailey, the PR man behind the Maine Jobs First campaign, had this to say, via his Twitter feed: "Success! Guess our ad campaign worked, even though they'll never admit it."

Reader comments

From Allan Shepard

I cheer the committee's decision to place Maine's economic long term interests, before the interests of a quick buck. The jobs that hang in the balance are needed here in Maine not accross Maine's borders! Maine should not become an express way for energy that leaves our state, for the profit of a few. The few construction jobs greated in building this higway in and out of Maine would only be a short term benefit. An argument might be , what about the fees that Maine could collect for allowing the good jobs and tax revenues that Maine stands to lose at a state and local level. What would be the encouragement for any development of green energy production, energy infrastrucure delivery improvements in and for our state. We need relief in these difficult economic times, but we need the legislatures input through careful considerations given to the long term impact to the workers and citizenery of Maine.  

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