Question 1 CMP Corridor Panel Oct. 14

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Autumn Mahoney, info@lincolncountydemocrats.com

DAMARISCOTTA, Maine, Oct. 4, 2021 [updated Oct. 7 & 11]- The next Lincoln County Community Conversations event will take place on Thursday, Oct. 14 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The panel discussion focuses on the November referendum Question 1 in order to provide voters “Views from Both Ends of the CMP Corridor.”

The public is invited to participate by watching the live stream online or by joining the Zoom meeting. Anyone who joins the email list, will be sent a Zoom URL. For more information, to sign up for the email list, to watch the event live on Thursday, Oct. 14 at 6:30 p.m., or to watch the recording, visit https://lincolncountydemocrats.com/communityconversations.

Because this event cannot be held in person and to keep the online audio uninterrupted, the audience should submit questions and succinct comments ahead of time through an online form found at https://lincolncountydemocrats.com/questions.

Supporters and opponents of Question 1, a citizen initiative on the Nov. 2 ballot, have Maine voters pitted against each other in an all out tug-o-war. The question reads,

Do you want to ban the construction of high-impact electric transmission lines in the Upper Kennebec Region and to require the Legislature to approve all other such projects anywhere in Maine, both retroactively to 2020, and to require the Legislature, retroactively to 2014, to approve by a two-thirds vote such projects using public land?”

A “Yes” vote will ban the construction of the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC), colloquially known as the CMP Corridor, and any other high-impact electric transmission lines in the Upper Kennebec Region. It will make it so all construction of high-impact electric transmission lines in Maine has to be approved by the State Legislature. If the transmission lines are on public lands, a yes vote would require a supermajority in the Legislature in order for construction to be approved. These provisions would apply retroactively to Sept. 16, 2020, meaning that all projects previously approved within that time frame would become subject to review and reapproval of or denial by the Legislature. Finally, a yes vote would require the Legislature to review and reapprove or deny the use of public lands for any poles, transmission lines and facilities, landing strips, pipelines and railroad tracks, retroactively to Sept. 16, 2014.

Sandra “Sandi” Howard, of Caratunk, is a volunteer for the grassroots effort opposed to the CMP Corridor. She is an eighth generation Mainer, a registered Maine guide of 25 years, and a professor of music education. Sandi is the director of the nonprofit Say NO to NECEC and No CMP Corridor. She will discuss why Mainers should vote yes on Question 1 to reject the CMP Corridor.

Susan “Becky” Layton Bartovics, of North Haven Island, has been a member of the Sierra Club Maine’s executive committee since 2007 and now serves as volunteer leader as well as a member of the Council of Club Leaders to the Sierra Club. She has worked in water conservation and energy efficiency businesses and currently owns a small solar-powered family farm. Becky has been elected to local government, is a former chair of Penobscot Bay Alliance, was appointed by Governor Baldacci to the Joint Use Planning Commission, and participated in the Wind Energy Task Force Sessions.

A “No” vote would allow the construction of the CMP corridor and similar projects to continue as permitted in the Upper Kennebec Region. It would uphold the status quo of not requiring state legislative approval for the construction of high-impact electric transmission lines in the state and not requiring two-thirds of the State Legislature to approve the use of public lands for any poles, transmission lines and facilities, landing strips, pipelines and railroad tracks.

Lincoln “Linc” Jeffers, of Freeport, is the economic and community development director for the City of Lewiston. Lewiston has supported the NECEC project from the beginning and it is where a $250 million converter station will be built along the 145-mile corridor. During his tenure the city has had more than $941.8 million invested in economic development projects that have created 4,200 new jobs and retained 1,880 jobs. He received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Middlebury College, and has completed graduate work in economic and community development at the Muskie School of Public Service. Linc will share why voters should vote no on Question 1.

Benjamin “Ben” Dudley, of Portland, is the director of Mainers for Clean Energy Jobs, a coalition of businesses, labor unions, trade associations and esteemed environmental leaders formed to advocate in support of the Clean Energy Corridor. Ben served as a state legislator (D-Portland) from 1998 to 2006 and served as chair and CEO of the Maine Democratic Party in 2006 and 2007.

Event organizer, Jan John of Bristol, shares,

There is a lot to this question and we want to use our Community Conversations forum to bring together representatives from both sides of this issue. We hope that our panel will help us unpack it all, calmly, and present facts and figures so that the voters of Lincoln County are able to make informed choices on election day. This vote has the potential to set precedents for generations to come.”

Lincoln County Community Conversations events are opportunities for constructive dialog sponsored by the Lincoln County Democratic Committee. This series of community forums and discussions on topics of concern to Lincoln County residents was founded in the belief that friendly discussion and sharing of facts and opinions is a bridge to a stronger community. To sign up for our email list, please complete the form found here https://lincolncountydemocrats.com/communityconversations or for more information, please contact John at janjohn1us@yahoo.com or 207-529-6502.