An Act To Create the Newport Natural Gas District
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1621
Committee Amendment CA_A_H737 (House)
Amends: 2 MRSA §9

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1193, L.D. 1621, Bill, "An Act To 
Create the Newport Natural Gas District" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Include Natural Gas Expansion in the State Energy Plan' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 2 MRSA §9, sub-§3, ~C, as amended by PL 2013, c. 415, §2, is further 
amended to read: 
C. In consultation with the Efficiency Maine Trust Board, established in Title 5, 
section 12004-G, subsection lO-C, prepare and submit a comprehensive state energy 
plan to the Governor and the Legislature by January 15,2009 and submit an updated 
plan every 2 years thereafter. Within the comprehensive state energy plan, the 
director shall identify opportunities to lower the total cost of energy to consumers in 
this State and transmission capacity and infrastructure needs and recommend 
appropriate actions to lower the total cost of energy to consumers in this State and 
facilitate the development and integration of new renewable energy generation within 
the State and support the State's renewable resource portfolio requirements specified 
in Title 35-A, section 3210 and wind energy development goals specified in Title 
35-A, section 3404. The comprehensive state energy plan must include a section that 
specifies the State's progress in meeting the oil dependence reduction targets in 
subsection 5. 
The office shall make recommendations, if needed, for additional 
legislative and administrative actions to ensure that the State can meet the reduction 
targets in subsection 5. The recommendations must include a cost and resource 
estimate for technology development needed to meet the reduction targets. 
(1) Beginning in 2015, the update to the plan must: 
(a) Be submitted to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters and the joint standing committee 
of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A "toH.P. 1193,L.D.1621 
(b) 
Address the association between energy planning and meeting the 
greenhouse gas reduction goals in the state climate action plan pursuant to 
Title 38, section 577. The director shall consult with the Department of 
Environmental Protection in developing this portion of the plan; 
(c) Include a section devoted to wind energy development, including: 
(i) The State's progress toward meeting the wind energy development 
goals established in Title 35-A, section 3404, subsection 2, including an 
assessment of the likelihood of achieving the goals and any 
recommended changes to the goals; 
(ii) 
Examination of the permitting process and any recommended 
changes to the permitting process; 
(iii) 
Identified successes in implementing the recOlmnendations 
contained in the February 2008 final report of the Governor's Task Force 
on Wind Power Development created by executive order issued May 8, 
2007; 
(iv) A summary of tangible benefits provided by expedited wind energy 
developments, including, but not limited to, documentation of 
community benefits packages and community benefit agreement 
payments provided; 
(v) A review of the community benefits package requirement under Title 
35-A, section 3454, subsection 2, the actual amount of negotiated 
community benefits packages relative to the statutorily required 
minimum amount and any recOlmnended changes to community benefits 
package policies; 
(vi) Projections of wind energy developers' plans, as well as technology 
trends and their state policy implications; 
(vii) Recommendations, including, but not limited to, identification of 
places within the State's unorganized and deorganized areas for inclusion 
in the expedited permitting area established pursuant to Title 35-A, 
chapter 34-A and the creation of an independent siting authority to 
consider wind energy development applications; arui 
(d) Include a description of activities undertaken pursuant to paragraph H,.~ 
and 
(e) Include a description of the State's activities relating to the expansion of 
natural gas service, any actions taken by the office to expand access to 
natural gas in the State and any recommendations for actions by the 
Legislature to expand access to natural gas in the State. 
The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and 
energy matters may report out legislation by February 1st of each odd-numbered year 
relating to the content of the plan. The joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over natural resources matters may make recommendations 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
\\,01~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1193, L.D. 1621 
regarding that legislation to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over energy matters.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. The amendment adds natural gas expansion as an 
issue to be included in the state energy plan developed by the Governor's Energy Office. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
• 
Approved: 03121/14 Mac:. 
LD 1621 
LR 2319(02) 
An Act To Create the Newport Natural Gas District 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 11' [tl-7 31) 
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Federal Expenditures Fund 
Any additional costs to the Governor's Energy Office for submitting an updated comprehensive State energy plan to 
include a description of the State's activities relating to expansion of natural gas service, efforts at expansion of access 
to natural gas and recommendations to the Legislature on same are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within 
existing budgeted resources. 
LR2319(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1 
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