In the 36 hours before the hearing, members of the Utility and Energy Committee heard loud and clear from Maine fishermen about their extreme displeasure with the notion of this bill opening up Maine state waters to nearshore commercial windfarms, pushing scallopers shrimpers & groundfishermen out.
Chuck Digate of Neptune Wind tells legislators he wants to set up in state waters
Then at the hearing, not only fishery activists, but Representative Leila Percy, co-chair of the Marine Resources Committee, let them know both that the bill threatened Maine fishermen and was not acceptable, and that she spoke for Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree (who couldn't be there) on this as well. Other legislators too, chimed in that their constituents weren't having any part of this bill
As the TV cameras rolled, and energy lobbyists reeled in dismay, the Utility and Energy Committee switched from unqualified support for LD 1810, to considering two alternatives: either
(1) turning LD 1810 into a Resolve, and shipping it round to other legislative committees and commercial fishing communities next year before taking any action, or
(2) removing from the bill all wording related to anything that would facilitate commercial windfarm operations in Maine state waters.
Under option 2 the bill would continue with sections that give the wind industry tax breaks and immunizes it from a variety of conservation and environmental laws, also known as "streamlining" the laws. "Streamlining? More like amputating the law," one conservation activist grumped to the committee, and the room filled with uneasy laughter.
Also remaining in the altered LD 1810 would be a controversial "Welfare Wind" section, This part of the bill forces Mainers to subsidize the wind industry by requiring electricity utilities to purchase wind-generated power for triple what they pay Bangor Hydro and other electricity providers, but then allows the utilities to pass the increased cost on to Maine consumers.
The oil heating industry also showed up in opposition to LD 1810 In particular, they opposed a section that calls for phasing their industry out of the home and commercial heating business and requiring Maine consumers to use electricity for heating.
While oil and lobsters don't mix well in nature, in Augusta they may together push LD 1810, and the energy industry behind it, far away from its original goals.
But the windies will surely strike back. It will be important for those concerned with keeping Maine state waters open for fishing and closed to wind extraction to keep up the pressure on legislators The work session where the final decision will be made will happen next week.
Stay tuned.
But the windies will surely strike back. It will be important for those concerned with keeping Maine state waters open for fishing and closed to wind extraction to keep up the pressure on legislators The work session where the final decision will be made will happen next week.
Stay tuned.
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