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LD 1959, “An Act to Ensure Transmission and Distribution Utility Accountability” is being considered by the Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee in Augusta. Testimony ran significantly against this bill at a hearing held on Feb. 22.
There are many reasons to oppose it, but especially because a path to consumer ownership of our public utilities is not protected. Last November, I easily collected well over 180 signatures in just a few hours at a Belfast polling site on a petition to replace CMP and Versant with a consumer owned utility. I barely needed to mention Central Maine Power and Belfast voters were eager to sign the petition.
LD 1959 gives all power to the governor and removes legislative oversight and a mechanism for public input. Electrification is one of the most crucial pathways toward beginning to address the threat of climate change, but I believe LD 1959 as written is dangerous window-dressing. It does not truly address the systemic changes we need to see. People should please urge their legislators to oppose it.
Corliss Davis
Belfast