130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2021
Legislative Document No. 82
H.P. 48 House of Representatives, January 13, 2021
Resolve, To Provide for Participation of the State in the Planning
and Negotiations for the Atlantic Loop Energy Project
(EMERGENCY)
Received by the Clerk of the House on January 11, 2021. Referred to the Committee on
Energy, Utilities and Technology pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to
Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative KESSLER of South Portland.
Printed on recycled paper
 1 Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not
2 become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
3 Whereas, the Government of Canada in the 2020 Speech from the Throne announced
4 the Atlantic Loop, a project that will create a continuous transmission and power supply
5 interconnection among the 5 provinces and will pass through Maine; and
6 Whereas, the Atlantic Loop can provide the State with access to renewable power
7 supply originating in the affected Canadian provinces as well as access to Canadian markets
8 for renewable power supply developed and sited in Maine; and
9 Whereas, the State has an interest in the project identical to that of the 5 provinces
10 and will be affected in the same manner; and
11 Whereas, the Atlantic Loop, which will have a direct effect on the State, is being
12 actively pursued with a view to arriving at early agreements soon for its creation; and
13 Whereas, ensuring access and treatment for the State's customers, transmission
14 operators and power suppliers equal to that accorded to the 5 provinces is an objective of
15 the State and is attainable by the use of its regulatory and other authorities to represent the
16 economic and environmental interests of the State in the negotiations; and
17 Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within
18 the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as
19 immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now,
20 therefore, be it
21 Sec. 1. State to request participation in Atlantic Loop planning and
22 negotiations. Resolved: That the Governor shall inform the Prime Minister of Canada
23 and the premiers of the provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova
24 Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec that the State has a direct interest in all aspects
25 of the Canadian project, referred to in this resolve as "the Atlantic Loop," to link the electric
26 grids of the provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia,
27 Prince Edward Island and Quebec for the purpose of increasing access to renewable power
28 supply and requests participation on an equal footing in the negotiations relative to its
29 creation, operation and management.
30 Sec. 2. State to develop and pursue policies promoting and facilitating
31 participation in the Atlantic Loop. Resolved: That, in participating in the planning
32 and negotiations on the Atlantic Loop, the Governor, assisted by such state agencies and
33 other interested parties as the Governor designates, shall develop and pursue policies,
34 consistent with state law, designed to maximize the benefits that all affected parties in the
35 State can obtain from it.
36 Sec. 3. Governor to inform the Legislature. Resolved: That the Governor
37 shall report not less than once every 3 months to the joint standing committee of the
38 Legislature having jurisdiction over electric utility matters on the status and substance of
39 the State's involvement in all matters relative to the Atlantic Loop.
40 Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation
41 takes effect when approved.
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1 SUMMARY
2 This resolve provides for the immediate, direct involvement of the State in the planning
3 and negotiations on the Atlantic Loop, a Canadian electric transmission and power supply
4 project intended to pass through the State, enabling possible participation in it on an equal
5 footing with the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador,
6 Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.
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