Central Maine Power has been trying to buy Mainers’ approval of their wildly unpopular corridor project by spouting claims that the retroactivity provision of the November referendum question isn’t legal or fair.

However, CMP knowingly entered into an illegal lease, crossing public lands before having all of their permits. That lease has now been revoked. So, retroactively requiring a two-thirds vote from the Legislature on a new public lands lease and on construction of any high-impact electric transmission lines is the right thing to do. Any construction done now is at their own risk.

CMP knows their project is in jeopardy, not only because 80,000 Mainers signed the petition to get the corridor on the ballot, so that we can finally have our voices heard, but also because the Superior Court has declared unconstitutional their permit to construct on our public lands.

And yet CMP is currently bulldozing and clearcutting their way through this project to get as much done as they can before the election and before the Department of Environmental Protection decides to suspend the rest of their permits. Mainers should be aware of the devastation currently taking place in the upper Kennebec Valley and all along the proposed route that connects us from Canada to Massachusetts

What will future generations have to say about this project? “Thank you for killing the recreational opportunities we lost out on.” “Thank you for warming our waters to the point of killing the lobster industry.” Need I go on?

Vote “yes” on Question 1 to stop CMP.

Cathy Whorf
Windham

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