Maine amends wording of CMP corridor ballot question

Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap has amended the wording of a question on the upcoming Nov. 3 ballot that, if approved by voters, would require the Public Utilities Commission to reverse its prior approval of a planned Central Maine Power Co. transmission corridor through western Maine.

The new wording varies only slightly from the original and was amended based on feedback received during a 30-day public comment period.

The question is now slated to read, “Do you want to require the Maine Public Utilities Commission to reject a previously-approved proposal to construct the New England Clean Energy Connect electrical power transmission line through western Maine?”

The original wording was, “Do you want to adopt a Resolve directing the Maine Public Utilities Commission to reverse its approval of the proposed New England Clean Energy Connect power transmission line?”

Since presenting the proposed language on May 22, Dunlap said he received 161 comments regarding the question’s form and content. The comment period closed on June 22. Following a thorough review of the comments, Dunlap finalized the ballot question, according to a news release issued Wednesday.

“We received many thoughtful comments on this proposed ballot question, and I have incorporated several of those suggestions in this final language, to make it more clear and complete,” Dunlap said in the release.

State law requires Dunlap to present ballot questions “concisely and intelligibly,” while also ensuring that the language does not introduce any bias and accurately reflects the proposed legislation.

The referendum opposing the corridor project, known as New England Clean Energy Connect, is the subject of an ongoing legal challenge, and the Maine Supreme Judicial Court is expected to rule on whether it will ultimately appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. That decision is expected prior to the late August ballot-printing deadline, according to the release.