PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 2, 2024
The Maine House approved compromise legislation Tuesday that would scale back a proposal to restrict natural gas expansion in the state and study its use instead, but it faced bipartisan criticism. The original legislation proposed a ban on gas companies charging ratepayers for construction and expansion of gas service mains and gas service lines beginning Feb. 1, 2025. Instead, business and residential customers that benefit from new gas mains and service lines would have been required to pay the costs. Environmentalists had said the measure is necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The measure drew opposition from gas utilities and their business group allies, prompting the utilities, environmentalists, consumer advocates and others to negotiate a measure calling for studies.