A few extremists voted to keep governor’s extreme anti-solar policies
Statement of Dylan Voorhees, Clean Energy Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine
“Sadly, today, by just two votes, the Maine House of Representatives again failed to overturn the governor’s veto of this year’s solar bill. Today, LePage’s extreme legislative allies again resorted to desperate tactics to thwart the will of the people and this bipartisan bill. They pushed Representatives to stay home, leave the chamber, and trade their solar votes for unrelated favors. This kind of corrupt politics will bring higher electric costs to all Mainers and place outrageous new fees on Mainers who choose to generate and use their own power. Central Maine Power should be ashamed for opposing this modest bill. If CMP wonders why Mainers are revolting against its monopoly profiteering, they only need to look at their counter-productive role in blocking this legislation.
“Representative Bickford was present throughout the morning votes, but chose to ‘take a walk’ to avoid the roll-call vote on the solar bill. He previously voted in support of the bill.
“Rep. Bickford’s vote alone would not have changed outcome, with a two-vote margin. However his action is indicative of the extreme political pressure many House Republicans faced on this vote. Earlier, this pressure pushed six representatives who previously supported the solar bill to ‘flip-flop’ and oppose the bill after the veto (Reps. Harrington, Guerin, Parry, J. Pierce, Pouliot, and Simmons). In particular, Rep. Pouliot and Rep. Pierce had consistently supported solar legislation this year and in previous years—up until the veto on LD 1444. Together the votes of these seven legislators did determine the outcome today.”
