In the past few months, more than $300 million in contracts have been awarded to a variety of Maine companies as planning for the construction of the New England Clean Energy Connect begins. The jobs created by these projects are so important to Maine, and the location of these jobs in western and central Maine are equally important. Good-paying work in this part of the state is often hard to come by, and has only gotten worse these last few months.

Those against the project argue that the jobs are temporary. But that is the nature of construction jobs. You work on one project then move on to the next. But there are very few that will provide steady work like the Clean Energy Connect project will for the next two to three years.

That shouldn’t be something that people turn up their nose at. It will also give Mainers who do this type of work an opportunity to stay home on work on a project in their home state. They will not have to travel to other parts of New England and beyond to support their families. I was happy to hear the fact that Mainers will be given every opportunity to fill these jobs and work on a project that is so critical to the future of our state.

Mainers stand to gain so much from the project. That is why I am supporting it and I hope others will do the same.

Ryan Leeman
Palermo

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