While Gov. Mills may have good intentions, her statement that the transmission line crossing Maine will cost Mainers nothing is like saying the iconic Maine forests, rivers and streams have no value.
We cannot both tout the beauty of our state as a scenic destination to be enjoyed and also allow a 145-mile swath to be cut through the land.
It may seem to the governor and others that the benefits to allowing this gigantic scar across our landscape are substantial, but they do not consider the true cost: Installing this powerline would destroy Maine’s extraordinary and relatively untrammeled natural beauty for the sake of a slight decrease in electric charges.
To allow this powerline would be like taking a knife to a masterpiece painting. People who appreciate beauty would be horrified at such an act of vandalism.
We would be better served by replacing all lighting with LED lights and making homes more energy efficient, installing small-scale solar farms or teaching students about ways to be more connected to where our power comes from and what its true costs are. Combined, these measures would go much further in decreasing our carbon footprint in the long run.
Allowing the powerline, which New Hampshire people wisely rejected, is the wrong thing to do no matter what the benefits might be.
The governor is a smart person, with a good heart. I believe that if all the people who oppose this travesty speak out, she will change her mind. If she does not, a citizens initiative should be created allowing the people to decide.
John G. Pincince
Lincolnville
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