Adil Trehan, adil.trehan@sierraclub.org, 202-630-7275
Boston, MA — Voters in a statewide ballot in Maine last week rejected a proposed transmission line that would cut through Maine forests and prop up expensive, unjust, and ecologically destructive Canadian megadams to supply Massachusetts with electricity. The $1 billion New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project, proposed by Avangrid, would be paid for by Massachusetts electricity ratepayers.
In response to the Maine ballot result, Deb Pasternak, Massachusetts Director for Sierra Club, said:
"Massachusetts cannot depend on imported, dirty, and environmentally unjust Canadian hydropower - a false solution - for meeting our climate goals. Fortunately, we have an incredible breadth of untapped local resources with which we can build a regional renewable energy economy. Investing in local efficiency, offshore wind, solar power, and storage projects will lower costs, increase system resilience, provide good jobs, and eliminate climate and health impacts of the dirty fuels now powering our region.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.