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An Act To Amend the Law Regarding Nontransmission Alternatives Investigations Required for Proposed Transmission Line Projects
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3132, sub-§2-C, ¶B, as amended by PL 2013, c. 369, Pt. C, §2, is further amended to read:
 
B. Justification for adoption of the route selected, including comparison with alternative routes that are environmentally, technically and economically practical; and
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §3132, sub-§2-C, ¶C, as amended by PL 2013, c. 369, Pt. C, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 3.  35-A MRSA §3132, sub-§2-D  is enacted to read:
 
2-D.  Nontransmission alternatives investigation.     In considering whether to approve or disapprove all or portions of a proposed transmission line pursuant to subsection 5, the commission shall consider the results of an investigation by an independent 3rd party, which may be the commission or a contractor selected by the commission, of nontransmission alternatives to construction of the proposed transmission line. The investigation must set forth the total projected costs of the transmission line as well as the total projected costs of the alternatives over the effective life of the proposed transmission line.
 
SUMMARY
This bill changes the timing of the nontransmission alternatives investigation required for proposed transmission line projects. The bill requires the investigation to be done during the course of the proceeding to consider the petition for approval of a proposed transmission line instead of being done prior to filing that petition.