Bad enough, New England Clean Energy Connect is bombarding TV screens and printed media with vast scenes of western Maine’s forests, depicting barely discernible treeless transmission line swaths cut through them, which also clearly show abundance of ground vegetation. Is it not possible, in this age of electronic digitalization, that these might well be computer-generated images?

Adding to these images, a representative of several environmental groups has come forward, saying they support building the proposed line, as it will affect less than .01% of Maine forest and wildlife habitat; and, now, another ad surfaces supporting the project, featuring a map showing two-thirds of the route already exists and bearing, in large letters “Mass Pays, Maine Benefits.”

As to the “Mass Pays,” they surely will. My daughter resides in the Berkshires. She and her neighbors all anticipate that in bringing electricity from Quebec via such a roundabout way, at the cost of a billion dollars plus, that the Commonwealth’s power regulators will raise the usage and delivery rates to ensure the conglomerate recoups its investment. That will result in a three- to four-fold increase in their monthly electric bills.

As for the “Maine Benefits,” there surely will not be any. The only beneficiaries will be Iberdrola, its investors and those on governing committees ruling in support of the project as we, the working and retired citizens all know, have not the excess funds to amass the millions in contributions that politicos spend on their re-election campaigns in recent years.

John Davis, South Paris

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Joan Saxe: Importing electricity not the answer

Next »

What do you call it when . . .