To: Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology
From: David Gibson, Sierra Club Maine
Date: February 25, 2021
Re: Testimony in Support of LD 170 An Act Pertaining to Transmission Lines Not Needed for Reliability or Local Generation
Senator Lawrence, Representative Berry, and members of the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology: my name is David Gibson, and I represent Sierra Club Maine and our 22,000 supporters and members across the state. We voice our support for this legislation: LD 170 An Act Pertaining to Transmission Lines Not Needed for Reliability or Local Generation.
This bill will help ensure that public utilities in Maine will not shift costs to customers for non-essential transmission infrastructure. This is important for keeping electricity in Maine affordable for all residents. Non-essential transmission lines, like the NECEC corridor, should not add cost burden or risk to utility ratepayers in the state. Any costs for these projects, including PR and advocacy efforts, should be borne entirely by the investors, and not by the ratepayers in Maine.
Thank you Representative Grohoski for bringing this forward.
We ask this committee to vote
LD 170 Ought to Pass.