An Act Making Ce1tain Appropriations and Allocations and Changing Ce1tain
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0609
Committee Amendment CA_A_HA_K_H26 (House)
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3210, 35-A MRSA §3210-I, 35-A MRSA §3407, 35-A MRSA §3409

HOUSE AMENDMENT" l(_u to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 377, 
L.D. 609, "An Act Making Ce1tain Appropriations and Allocations and Changing Ce1tain 
Provisions of Law Necessaty to the Proper Operations of State Govemment" 
Amend the amendment by insetting after Patt TT the following: 
1PARTUU 
Sec, UU-1. 35-A MRSA §3210, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 477, §1, is 
repealed. 
Sec. UU-2, 35-A MRSA §3210-I, sub-§2, 18, as amended by PL 2023, c. 660, 
§7, is fmther amended to read: 
B. The commission shall evaluate the proposals received based, at a minimum, ot1 the 
following factors: cost, economic benefit to no1them Maine, the qualifications of the 
bidder or bidders1 and the long-term viability of each prnposal and the anticipated 
eontributioa of eaoh proposal tovt'at·d the aohievement by the State of its l'enewable 
ene1·gy goals u1id&1· seotioa 3210. The commission shall disqualify any proposal that, 
in the commission's determination, fails to demonstrnte the bidder's technical and 
financial capacity to successfully construct, develop and opernte the transmission line 
or lines described in this subsection and to pursue, negotiate and contract for its 
interconnection with the ISO-New England system. 
Sec. UU-3. 35-A MRSA §3210-I, sub-§2, 'ifC, as amended by PL 2023, c. 660, 
§7, is further amended by amending subparng1·aph (1) to read: 
(1) In the commission's determination, in the agg1·egate with proposals received 
under subsection 3, demonstrate the most cost-effective and efficient tra11smission 
access to renewable energy resources in 1101them Maine in a manner that best 
~orts the aehie•;ement of the State's t'enewable enet·gy goals undel' section 3210 
and that maximize maximizes benefits to the State; 
Sec, UU-4, 35-A MRSA §3210-I, sub-§3, 'ifD, as amended by PL 2023, c, 660, 
§8, is fmthel' amended by amending subparagraph (I) to read: 
(I) [n the commission's detet;mination, in the aggregate with proposals received 
under subsection 2, demonstrnte the most cost-effective and efficient development 
of renewable energy resources in 1101thern Maine in a manner that best suppo1·ts 
Page I -132LR1775(21) 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
~os 
I 
HOUSE AMENDMENT" j(" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 377, L.D. 609 
the achie•,rement of the State's l'ene¥,•able energy goals under section 3210 and 
maximize maximizes benefits to the State; and 
Sec, uu .. s. 35-A MRSA §3407, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2023, c. 481, §5, is 
amended to read: 
1. 
Program established, 
The Maine Offshore Wind Renewable Energy and 
Economic Development Progrnm, refened to in this section as "the program," is established 
to further the development and use of offshore wind power pl'Ojects in the Gulf of Maine. 
The office, in collaboration with the commission, shall administer the program in 
accordance with this section and shall ensure that the pl'Ogram is designed to advance the 
greenhouse gas emissions reduction obligations and climate policies of this State under 
Title 38, section 576-A and Title 38, section 577, the renewable energy goals established 
iR section 3210, s1::1bsectioR l A and all applicable workforce development efforts of this 
State. Under the program, the office, in collaboration with the commission, shall: 
A. Encourage the responsible development of offshore wind power pmjects to stabilize 
ene1·gy supply prices, reduce this State's reliance on imported fossil fuels, realize direct 
and near"term economic benefits for the people of this State and ensure the 
achievement of this State's wind energy generation goal established in section 3404, 
subsection 2; 
B. Suppott offshore wind power projects that result in long-term, family-suppo1ting 
careers, including for disadvantaged populations and communities; 
C. Support responsibly sited and operated offshore wind power prnjects that avoid or 
minimize and compensate for impacts to wildlife, habitat, fisheries and coastal 
communities in the Gulf of Maine; 
D. Suppott efforts to increase understanding of impacts of offshore wind power 
projects on the marine environment and to advance research to bette1· understand how 
offshore wind power projects can coexist with minimal impact to existing ocean users, 
wildlife, fisheries and the mal'ine environment; 
E. Promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the development of offshore wind power 
pl'Ojects with particular considerntion given to the energy and economic circumstances 
and opportunities in coastal and socially vulnerable communities and for the federally 
1·ecognized Indian tribes in this State, For the purposes of this paragrnph, 
11socially 
vulnerable communities" means those communities containing populations that are 
disp1'0po1tionately burdened by existing social inequities or lack the capacity to 
withstand new or worsening burdens; 
F. Supp01t the advancement of po1t infrastrncture, local offshore wind power-related 
economic development and the development of a supply chain to support the 
development of offshore wind power projects; 
G. Support the development and deployment of innovative technologies to achieve the 
energy policy and economic development objectives of this State, including energy 
storage; 
H. Support the use of Maine-based technical and engineering expertise and build on 
this State's leadership in offshore wind power, mal'itime industries and reseal'Ch and 
development; 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
~os 
HOUSE AMENDMENT"\(" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 377, L.D. 609 
I. Support the development of transmission infrash'ucture necessary for this State to 
expeditiously meet its renewable energy and climate goals, including advancing the 
development of shared 01· regional offshore wind power transmission infrastrncture; 
J. 
Collaborate with othel' states or entities when appropriate on regional issues, 
inclt1ding, but not limited to, transmission, procurement, supply chain and w01•kforce 
development and research and monitoring !'elating to wildlife, fisheries and the Gulf of 
Maine ecosystem; 
K. Support responsibly sited offshore wind power projects with generation facilities 
located in areas outside of the a1·ea of the Gulf of Maine where the majority of lobster 
fishing or other significant commercial fishing occurs; 
L. Coordinate the activities of state agencies that al'e affected by the development of 
offshore wind powe1· projects, including, but not limited to, the Depattment of 
Economic and Community Development, the Department of Labor, the Department of 
Mat'ine Resources, the Depa1iment of Transp01tation, the Department of Inland 
Fisheries and Wildlife and the Depa11ment of Environmental Protection; and 
M. 
Suppoti the development of deep.water offshore wind power projects and 
trnnsmission infrastrncture in the Gulf of Maine that serve the public interest by 
advancing the renewable energy and climate policies and economic development goals 
of this State and helpitig to reduce energy price volatility. 
Sec. UU-6. 35-A MRSA §3409, sub-§1, ,fA, as enacted by PL 2023, c. 481, §7, 
is amended by amending subparagraph (3) to read: 
(3) Seek to achieve the greenhouse gas emissions !'eduction obligations and 
climate policies of this State under Title 38, section 576~A and Title 38, section 
S77 a11d 1·ene•,•,able ene1·gy goals undel' seetion 3210, subsection 1 A;' 
Amend the amendment by relettering 01· renumbering any nonconsecutive Part lette1· or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment repeals the law establishing the State's renewable energy goals and 
amends other provisions of law to remove crosN·eferences to the renewable energy goals. 
SPONSORED BY: ~ 
G\o ~ 
(Representative LIBBY, L,) 
TOWN: Auburn 
HOUSE AMENDMENT