CMP Corridor Opponents Request DEP Slow Down, “Stop Rushing Process”

Thousands of Documents Continue to Be Dumped into Docket by CMP Mainers Deserve Ability to Read and Respond to CMP Claims

Environment Maine

PORTLAND – Two groups leading the fight against Central Maine Power’s massive corridor proposal have requested that the Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection stop rushing through its consideration of the largest energy project in Maine’s history.

Leading environmental advocacy group Environment Maine and Say No to NECEC, a nonprofit with thousands of members, today sent a letter to DEP Commissioner Jerry Reed requesting his department delay proceedings given the sheer volume of information and filings in this case.

“Please slow down and give Mainers faith that your proceeding is thorough, thoughtful, and fair,” the letter says. “This is the largest energy project Maine has ever had to consider.”

The letter also notes that the PUC delayed proceedings after a similar document dump of nearly 100,000 pages.

Text of the letter below.

Commissioner Jerry Reid

17 State House Station

28 Tyson Drive

Augusta, Maine 04333-0017

Commissioner Reid,

 We are writing to request that the Department of Environmental Protection delay its proceedings related to the CMP corridor in order to give interested parties a chance to catch up with and consider the massive number of filings in the case.

There are simply too many documents related to this case to be able to process all the information according to any reasonable standard of due process. The current hearing schedule has placed tremendous pressure on intervening groups, especially those who can’t afford the expensive legal counsel a multinational energy giant can.

Please note that CMP continues to dump new information into the record – all of which must be reviewed in order to make determinations about this massive project. Some might question whether this is an intentional strategy on the part of CMP.

Intervenors and Mainers deserve the ability to understand fully what CMP is trying to do and to present their own evidence related to CMP’s document dumps.

We have severe concerns about the environmental damage contained in initial proposals and we take very seriously the impact CMP’s proposed project would have on our state.

This is the largest energy project Maine has ever had to consider. We would note that the PUC delayed proceedings after a similar document dump of nearly 100,000 pages. Please slow down and give Mainers faith that your proceeding is thorough, thoughtful, and fair.

Thank you for your consideration.

Carissa Maurin                                                              Sandi Howard

State Director                                                                Director

Environment Maine                                                      Say No to NECEC

cc:

Governor Janet Mills

Sen. Brownie Carson, Chair, Maine Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Rep. Ralph Tucker, Chair, Maine Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Jim Beyer, Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection