by Kate Cough Ellsworth American news story ELLSWORTH — Hancock County Commissioners heard passionate testimony from area residents on Monday evening, largely arguing against rule changes being proposed by the state Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) that would change where subdivisions and commercial developments could be located in Maine’s unorganized territories. “This is a major and Read More
Gov. LePage Set Up Wind-Farm Review Panel to Meet in Private. Now, the Names of its Members are Secret.
The governor’s energy director says the 14 members of the advisory panel will be identified once the body is prepared to meet. by Tux Turkel, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Gov. Paul LePage’s administration is refusing to identify the members of a public commission charged with reviewing the impact of wind farms on Read More
My Maine This Week: David Small
“I’ve been quietly and unobtrusively observing this Spotted Sandpiper for a couple of weeks. Yesterday I discovered that this bird is the parent of three chicks, though I didn’t stay long to see if there were others.” – Photos taken in Old Town along the Penobscot River by NRCM member Dave Small of Old Town, Maine Read More
CMP, Hydro-Quebec Sign 20-year Power Contract with Massachusetts Utilities
by Staff Mainebiz news story Hydro-Quebec and Central Maine Power Co. announced Thursday they had signed an agreement with Massachusetts electric distribution companies to bring hydropower from Quebec to the Bay State via a 145-mile transmission line through Maine. The conclusion of contract negotiations with the electric distribution companies represents another major milestone for CMP’s Read More
Land Development Proposal Raises Concerns for Northern Maine Residents
by Melissa Lizotte The County news story MARS HILL, Maine — Several individuals expressed concerns about a new proposal that could lead to more commercial development in unorganized territories of Aroostook and the state during a public informational meeting held at the Bigrock Ski Lodge on June 14. The Land Use Planning Commission has proposed Read More
CMP Inks Deal Crucial to $950M Plan to Pipe Hydropower through Western Maine
by Lori Valigra Bangor Daily News news story Central Maine Power Co.’s plan to build a transmission line from the Canadian border through western Maine to bring hydropower to Massachusetts passed a critical step Thursday, when the Maine utility and Massachusetts electricity distributors said they had signed a contract. The contract, which was not made Read More
CMP Has Not Demonstrated Climate Benefits for Transmission Project
So-Called New England Clean Energy Connect Not New Clean Energy NRCM news release Today, Massachusetts utilities announced agreement on a contract with Central Maine Power (CMP) for its proposed transmission project with Hydro-Quebec. The contract is subject to review and approval by the MA Dept. of Public Utilities and the project still requires approval by Read More
Manchester Votes to Ban Plastic Bags in Retail Stores
The vote appears to make Manchester the first capital-area municipality to ban single-use plastic bags in local stores. By Keith Edwards, Staff Writer Central Maine Newspapers news story MANCHESTER — Residents agreed Tuesday in secret-ballot voting to ban plastic bags in retail stores in town. The vote appears to make Manchester the first capital-area municipality Read More
LePage Administration Reneges on Offshore Wind
Says ‘no’ to thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of investment in Maine’s clean energy future. NRCM news release “The LePage Administration’s anti-wind rampage continued today with his Public Utilities Commission’s (PUC) decision to renege on its offshore wind agreement. “In 2013, the global energy giant Statoil withdrew its proposal to begin building floating Read More
