Maine DEP lifts suspension order for NECEC project
May 16, 2023
On April 21, 2023, the Cumberland County Business and Consumer Court ruled in favor of NECEC Transmission LLC and Avangrid Networks, Inc. in the case NECEC Transmission, LLC, et al v. Bureau of Parks and Lands. The window for a potential appeal closed on May 12, 2023, and no appeals were filed. Melanie Loyzim, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, notified NECEC Transmission LLC and Avangrid Networks, Inc. today that the Site Location of Development Law and Natural Resources Protection Act license, #L-27625-26-A-N/L-27625-TG-B-N/L-27625-2C-C-N/L-27625-VP-D-N/L-27625-IW-E-N (License), for the New England Clean Energy Connect Project, is no longer suspended in accordance with the terms of the Commissioner's November 23, 2021 Suspension Order. The Licensees must give the Department written notification providing a date and location(s) at least five days before construction operations resume, as stipulated by Section IV (B)(3) of the Suspension Order.
Each segment of the corridor and the Lewiston converter station must have a minimum of one third-party inspector. Third-party inspectors will continue weekly inspections. In addition, inspections will also be conducted after any significant rain event (0.5" in 24 hrs.). Weekly reports are required to be submitted to DEP by the inspectors.
The Department has asked the licensee for additional information in order to continue assessing two applications for condition compliance that are currently pending. Construction may resume, following the written notice, while these condition compliance applications are being reviewed, however both have timeframes for certain milestones to be reached, as described in the License.
DEP related documents and information for this project are available on the Departments website at https://www.maine.gov/dep/land/projects/necec/index.html.