(Maine) Pine Tree Power veto sustained
Source: Associated Press
$1B stimulus spending OK’d; Pine Tree Power veto sustained
By DAVID SHARP
July 19, 2021
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Maine Legislature approved a plan Monday for spending nearly $1 billion in federal pandemic stimulus funding, but the bill failed to gain enough support to go into effect immediately as the governor wished.
Lawmakers also failed to override the governor’s veto of a bill to create a consumer-owned electric utility called Pine Tree Power.
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In other action, lawmakers fell far short of a two-thirds threshold needed to overturn the governor’s veto of a bill to buy out Central Maine Power and Versant Power and replace them with a consumer-owned utility.
Critics were angry over CMP’s botched rollout of a billing system, slow response to power outages, high electric rates and controversial utility corridor that would serve as a conduit for Canadian hydropower.
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If it had been approved, then the proposal would’ve been sent to state voters to let them have the final say.
But voters will likely have their way, despite the outcome in the Legislature. A coalition called Our Power vowed to seek enough signatures to force a referendum vote on the proposal next year.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/business-health-maine-coronavirus-pandemic-legislature-52891bca2056588c00950ffd93404b9f
