PORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s highest courtroom on Tuesday breathed new life right into a $1 billion energy line that will convey renewable Canadian hydropower into Massachusetts, ruling {that a} statewide vote rebuking the venture was unconstitutional.
The Supreme Judicial Court dominated that the retroactive nature of the referendum final 12 months violated the venture developer’s constitutional rights, sending it again to a decrease courtroom for additional proceedings.
The venture has been backed by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, could be paid for by Bay State ratepayers and shaped a key a part of his power and local weather coverage.
The Baker administration has mentioned the venture may provide about 17% of the state’s electrical energy demand and scale back charges on Massachusetts electrical payments between 2% and 4% annually beneath contracts already authorised by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.
The courtroom didn’t rule in a separate case that focuses on a lease for a 1-mile portion of the proposed energy line that crosses Maine state land.
Most of the proposed 145-mile energy transmission line could be constructed alongside present corridors, however a brand new 53-mile part was wanted to achieve the Canadian border.
Workers have been already clearing timber and setting poles when the governor requested for work to be suspended after the referendum. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection later suspended its allow however that might be reversed relying on the end result of authorized proceedings.
The excessive courtroom was requested to weigh in on two separate lawsuits. Developers sought to declare the November 2021 referendum unconstitutional whereas one other lawsuit centered on a lease permitting transmission strains to cross a brief phase of state-owned land.
Supporters say tasks equivalent to this one, funded by ratepayers in Massachusetts, are essential to battle local weather change and introduce renewable electrical energy right into a area that’s closely reliant on pure fuel, which might trigger spikes in power prices.
Critics say the venture’s environmental advantages are overstated — and that it will hurt the woodlands in western Maine.
It was the second time the Supreme Judicial Court was requested to weigh in on a referendum geared toward killing the venture. The first referendum proposal by no means made it onto the poll after the courtroom raised constitutional issues.
Although the venture is funded by Massachusetts ratepayers, the extra electrical energy would serve to stabilize or scale back electrical energy charges for all customers, proponents contend.
The referendum on the venture was the most expensive in Maine historical past, topping $90 million and underscoring deep divisions within the state.
The high-stakes marketing campaign put environmental and conservation teams at odds and pitted utilities backing the venture in opposition to operators of fossil fuel-powered vegetation that stand to lose cash.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”