BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 14, 2021
Legislators who visited the first segment of Central Maine Power Co.’s hydropower corridor in a remote part of Somerset County said the utility cannot meet permit requirements and asked regulators Wednesday to stop the cutting of trees there until protections are put into place. They said the nature and age of the forest prevents CMP from being able to meet the tapering requirements in the permit, which should be reevaluated. They also asked the Board of Environmental Protection to take jurisdiction over the project. The $1 billion New England Clean Energy Connect is one of the largest and most controversial projects in the state’s history, with many environmentalists and residents questioning its value to the state.