A bill in the Maine Legislature, LD 1658, would ensure accountability for companies pushing big “green energy” projects when they claim climate benefits that could be false.

First up on the list would be the New England Clean Energy Connect corridor.

I didn’t believe Avangrid, a parent owner of Central Maine Power and NECEC, when it told us the corridor was “clean” and would help with climate change.

Hydro-Quebec would need to build several new dams to keep up with electricity demands, including demand from Massachusetts once the NECEC corridor is in service. Right now, the company can’t even keep the lights on for its present customers.

In past practice, Hydro-Quebec has flooded land to create its reservoirs without first removing the vegetation. This rotting vegetation produces methane gas, which has over 80 times the warming effect as carbon.

Methane emissions from the new dams means, in terms of climate impact, that Hydro-Quebec may as well be running a new coal-fired power plant or two.

LD 1658 would require a study of the corridor’s global greenhouse gas impact after it’s in operation, with fines permitted if the corridor impact means a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

If Avangrid were telling us the truth about the corridor’s climate impact, then there would be nothing to worry about.

The Legislature should pass LD 1658 so we can learn the truth about the corridor’s impact on the climate.

Peter McKeown, Turner

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