The proposed Central Maine Power (CMP) Corridor would carry enough hydroelectric power from Canada to power a million Massachusetts homes. But is it worth it if large swaths of Maine’s forests would be irreparably damaged? 

The threat to Maine’s Northern Woods has dominated the debate in Maine over whether or not to approve the 145-mile transmission line. While the contract company–Hydro-Québec–would rake in $7.8 billion USD over the next 20 years, important areas of Maine’s economy that rely on the health of the forest could take a severe hit. The logging and forest products sectors brings $7.7 billion to Maine’s economy annually and would be compromised by the clearcutting and changes in forest management that come with a powerline project of this scale. Recreational tourism, including hunting and fishing, could also be damaged. The proposed Corridor would fragment essential habitat for species such as moose and lynx and an increase in river sedimentation would do a number on the wild brook trout population.

What is really driving the push for the CMP Corridor? Expanding renewable energy production is essential, but certain groups are voicing concerns that the Hydro-Québec project is motivated more by the desire to make money from the Massachusetts renewable energy market than by the prospect of helping Mainers or reducing the demand for non-renewable energy in New England. 

In contrast, the companies involved with the project are arguing that Mainers are being prioritized. They highlight the numerous and well-paying jobs that the $1 billion project would create and stress that hosting the Corridor would also make Maine’s power grid more sustainable. 

Many Mainers have already made up their minds on their “yea” or “nay” vote for the November 2nd ballot question. However, in an effort to sway the remaining undecided voters, Hydro-Quebec and the Natural Resources Council of Maine have been plastering media platforms with competing advertisements and attempting to outdo one another. 

Hydro-Quebec is projected to pour $24.5 million into campaign advertising before the vote. This shows just how high the company feels the stakes are and possibly indicates the opposition they expect to face. 

This semester, I will cover the CMP Corridor controversy to explore the bigger issues related to implementing clean energy projects. From advertising wars, to resource competition, to the growing political divide between rural and urban communities, Maine is experiencing issues that renewable energy projects anywhere are likely to stir up. Could Maine provide the case study we need to learn how to better navigate the clean energy transition?

The shift towards clean energy is gaining momentum, but how this shift occurs and what values will be prioritized is still very much in our hands.