An Act to Lower Energy Costs by Repealing the Law Setting Out
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0444
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: LIBBY
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3210, 35-A MRSA §3210-I, 35-A MRSA §3407, 35-A MRSA §3409

Legislative Document
No. 444
H.P. 298
House of Representatives, February 4, 2025
An Act to Lower Energy Costs by Repealing the Law Setting Out 
the State's Goals for Consumption of Electricity from Renewable 
Resources
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative LIBBY of Auburn.
Cosponsored by Representatives: MORRIS of Turner, WADSWORTH of Hiram.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA §3210, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 477, §1, is 
repealed.
Sec. 2.  35-A MRSA §3210-I, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 2023, c. 660, §7, is 
further amended to read:
B.  The commission shall evaluate the proposals received based, at a minimum, on the 
following factors: cost, economic benefit to northern Maine, the qualifications of the 
bidder or bidders, and the long-term viability of each proposal and the anticipated 
contribution of each proposal toward the achievement by the State of its renewable 
energy goals under section 3210.  The commission shall disqualify any proposal that, 
in the commission's determination, fails to demonstrate the bidder's technical and 
financial capacity to successfully construct, develop and operate 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. 3.  35-A MRSA §3210-I, sub-§2, ¶C, as amended by PL 2023, c. 660, §7, is 
further amended by amending subparagraph (1) to read:
(1)  In the commission's determination, in the aggregate with proposals received 
under subsection 3, demonstrate the most cost-effective and efficient transmission 
access to renewable energy resources in northern Maine in a manner that best 
supports the achievement of the State's renewable energy goals under section 3210 
and that maximize maximizes benefits to the State;
Sec. 4.  35-A MRSA §3210-I, sub-§3, ¶D, as amended by PL 2023, c. 660, §8, is 
further amended by amending subparagraph (1) to read:
(1)  In the commission's determination, in the aggregate with proposals received 
under subsection 2, demonstrate the most cost‑effective and efficient development 
of renewable energy resources in northern Maine in a manner that best supports 
the achievement of the State's renewable energy goals under section 3210 and 
maximize maximizes benefits to the State; and
Sec. 5.  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 Program, referred to in this section as "the program," is established 
to further the development and use of offshore wind power projects 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 program 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 
in section 3210, subsection 1‑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 projects to stabilize 
energy 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.  Support offshore wind power projects that result in long-term, family-supporting 
careers, including for disadvantaged populations and communities;
C.  Support responsibly sited and operated offshore wind power projects that avoid or 
minimize and compensate for impacts to wildlife, habitat, fisheries and coastal 
communities in the Gulf of Maine;
D.  Support efforts to increase understanding of impacts of offshore wind power 
projects on the marine environment and to advance research to better understand how 
offshore wind power projects can coexist with minimal impact to existing ocean users, 
wildlife, fisheries and the marine environment;
E.  Promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the development of offshore wind power 
projects with particular consideration given to the energy and economic circumstances 
and opportunities in coastal and socially vulnerable communities and for the federally 
recognized Indian tribes in this State. For the purposes of this paragraph, "socially 
vulnerable communities" means those communities containing populations that are 
disproportionately burdened by existing social inequities or lack the capacity to 
withstand new or worsening burdens;
F.  Support the advancement of port infrastructure, 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, maritime industries and research and 
development;
I.  Support the development of transmission infrastructure necessary for this State to 
expeditiously meet its renewable energy and climate goals, including advancing the 
development of shared or regional offshore wind power transmission infrastructure;
J.  Collaborate with other states or entities when appropriate on regional issues, 
including, but not limited to, transmission, procurement, supply chain and workforce 
development and research and monitoring relating 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 area 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 are affected by the development of 
offshore wind power projects, including, but not limited to, the Department of 
Economic and Community Development, the Department of Labor, the Department of 
Marine Resources, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Inland 
Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of Environmental Protection; and
M.  Support the development of deep-water offshore wind power projects and 
transmission infrastructure 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 helping to reduce energy price volatility.
Sec. 6.  35-A MRSA §3409, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2023, c. 481, §7, is 
amended by amending subparagraph (3) to read:
(3)  Seek to achieve the greenhouse gas emissions reduction obligations and 
climate policies of this State under Title 38, section 576‑A and Title 38, section 
and renewable energy goals under section 3210, subsection 1‑A;
SUMMARY
This bill repeals the law establishing the State's renewable energy goals and amends 
other provisions of law to remove cross-references to the renewable energy goals.