Resolve, Directing Coordinated State Agencies To Negotiate with the Governing Leaderships of Portland Pipe Line Corporation and Montreal Pipe Line Limited for Sustainability-centered Repurposing of Stranded and At-risk Infrastructure Assets in Maine

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  this legislation needs to take effect before the end of the 90-day period in order that the negotiations described in the legislation may begin as soon as possible; and

Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore, be it

Sec. 1. Coordinated state agencies to negotiate with the governing leaderships of Portland Pipe Line Corporation and Montreal Pipe Line Limited for sustainability-centered repurposing of stranded and at-risk infrastructure assets in Maine. Resolved: That the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Governor's Energy Office, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Bureau of Land Resources within the Department of Environmental Protection, the Maine Land Use Planning Commission and the Public Utilities Commission in coordination shall negotiate directly with the executive and board leaderships of the Portland Pipe Line Corporation and Montreal Pipe Line Limited parent companies Suncor Energy, Shell Oil Company and Imperial Oil Limited a proposal for repurposing the Portland-Montreal pipeline and related real estate holdings in the State. The proposal, building on the sustainability language promulgated by the companies, must include a redevelopment strategy and revenue model acceptable to those companies' investors in accordance with the companies' own sustainability goals. The asset to be addressed by the proposal is the pipeline itself, which is to be repurposed as a conduit for high-voltage electric transmission lines such as those that serve Hydro-Quebec and which will act as a timely alternative to the proposed New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project.

Under the proposal, existing Portland Pipe Line Corporation and Montreal Pipe Line Limited employees would have their efforts directed toward the technical and management opportunities created by implementation of the proposal.

The Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business shall appoint a project liaison or project liaisons to coordinate the proposal over a 6-month period, which may be extended as needed. The scope of project coordination undertaken by the project liaison or project liaisons may include coordination with state agencies and local jurisdictions as well as coordination with land use regulators in New Hampshire, Vermont and the provincial government of Quebec, Canada.

Sec. 2. Moratorium. Resolved: That a state agency may not issue any further permits related to the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project before the proposal under section 1 is complete, as determined by the Department of Economic and Community Development.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This resolve directs the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Governor's Energy Office, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Bureau of Land Resources within the Department of Environmental Protection, the Maine Land Use Planning Commission and the Public Utilities Commission in coordination to negotiate directly with the executive and board leaderships of the Portland Pipe Line Corporation and Montreal Pipe Line Limited parent companies Suncor Energy, Shell Oil Company and Imperial Oil Limited a proposal for repurposing the Portland-Montreal pipeline and related real estate holdings in the State. It directs the Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business to appoint a project liaison or project liaisons to coordinate the proposal over a 6-month period, which may be extended as needed.

It also prohibits any state agency from issuing any further permits related to the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project before the proposal is complete, as determined by the Department of Economic and Community Development