Panel nixes changes to green energy goals
Lawmakers have pushed back against Gov. Paul LePage's proposal to eliminate the state's renewable energy benchmark, saying it would have hurt investment in alternative energy projects.
LD 1570 proposed eliminating the state law that requires power companies to increase the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources by 1% each year through 2017, which would have saved ratepayers $42 million. The energy committee, however, rewrote LD 1570 to keep the energy mandates in place, according to MaineToday Media. The governor's bill also sought to set the amount of electricity derived from renewable sources in 2017 at 4% instead of the 10% currently in place, a move the committee also nixed. The committee did add an amendment to require the Maine Public Utilities Commission to examine whether the energy benchmarks are detrimental to ratepayers and issue a report to the Legislature next year, according to the news company. Changing the requirements would have saved ratepayers an average of 40 cents a month, according to calculations by the Portland Press Herald reviewed by the PUC.
The measure now goes to the House and Senate for review.
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