Bill > LD1850

This bill directs the Governor's Energy Office to work with state agencies involved in permitting, regulating, or assisting renewable energy construction projects, such as the Department of Environmental Protection and the Public Utilities Commission, to figure out the best way to collect, display, and maintain information about these projects. The goal is to make this data easily accessible to the public to track renewable energy trends in the state, potentially by creating a database. A "renewable energy construction project" is defined as a power generation source with a capacity of 500 kilowatts or more that uses specific types of renewable energy sources. The bill outlines a list of information to be gathered from project developers, including project name, owner details, location, prior land use, capacity, construction timelines, whether certain state laws apply, any state or federal assistance sought or received, permit status, and plans for certification. The Governor's Energy Office must also evaluate how to efficiently gather this information, whether existing state databases can be used, what additional data might be useful, criteria for including projects, how often the data should be updated, and if new authority or resources are needed. Finally, the office must submit a report with recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology by February 1, 2026, which could lead to further legislative action.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1850&snum=132