This is a response to a letter authored by Richard Anderson, Richard Barringer and Lloyd Irland (“Commentary: Reasons for supporting CMP plan overlooked amid baseless criticism,” April 13).  It is disappointing that professionals such as these people seem to have misplaced their objectivity and attention to facts.

Their article puts a very large emphasis on “climate change and its looming effects.” I would respond that clear cutting 3,500 acres of forested land is not exactly a stellar strategy to combat climate change.

Speaking of conflicts, the Conservation Law Foundation fought against a similar corridor proposed in New Hampshire but supports the Maine version.  Sean Mahoney is the executive vice president and director of CLF’s Maine Advocacy Center, and his brother, R. Scott Mahoney, is senior vice president and general counsel for Avangrid. Western Mountain and Rivers Corp. has a memorandum of understanding with Central Maine Power that provides $6.5 million. They have no website and one of the eight board members is Peter Mills, Gov. Janet Mills’ brother. Now what is the director of the Maine Turnpike Authority doing on the board of a 501c(3) organization in the Forks?

The authors state that Maine needs to de-carbonize its energy needs. If this hydropower source is so important then why not stick to industry standards and bury the line?

If the transmission line was proposed and rigorously, fairly and independently evaluated, we would not be where we are now. If we didn’t see the conflicts of interest that have surfaced (and who knows what other conflicts exist) we might be more willing to listen to CMP and its Spanish parent company.

But for now, nothing about this project has been anything but mysterious and rife with questions, false statements, and subterfuge. Maybe it’s time to back up and start over.

 

Richard Aishton

Farmington