Dec. 20—Republicans in the state Legislature promised Friday to use confirmation hearings next month to sharply question Gov. Janet Mills’ nominee to represent utility ratepayers before regulators and in court cases.
Heather Sanborn, the nominee for Maine Public Advocate, is a former Democratic state legislator from Portland.
Rep. Reagan Paul, R-Winterport, a member of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, said in the Republicans’ weekly radio address that members of the party plan to take advantage of the hearing to promote their energy policies, which are essentially the opposite of the priorities of most Democrats. GOP committee members will ask “fair, but tough questions” of Sanborn about offshore wind and incentives for solar developers, she said.
Public Advocate William Harwood announced this month that he will retire Jan. 31. He has warned of costs associated with net energy billing, a program that spells out how certain classes of solar developers are paid for the power generated by their projects.
Paul and other Republicans have criticized net energy billing, calling it a costly ratepayer subsidy to out-of-state solar developers. Paul said Sanborn when in the Legislature, voted against eliminating net energy billing.
Mills welcomes legislators’ “full and fair review” of Sanborn, her office wrote in an email. “The governor remains deeply concerned about the high cost of energy and welcomes discussions during the upcoming legislative session about ways the state and region can stabilize and lower energy prices for Maine people. But what she is not interested in doing is doubling down to support the profits of fossil fuel companies that cost Maine people billions of dollars every year and harm their health and our environment.
Sanborn and Sen. Mark Lawrence, co-chairman of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, did not respond Friday to an email and a phone call asking for a response to Paul’s comments.
Paul, an opponent of offshore wind and a supporter of nuclear power, which has failed to advance in the Legislature, said Republicans will propose legislation that would cut consumers’ energy bills by “sharply reducing or eliminating net energy billing profit to out-of-state solar companies.”
Minority Republicans in the Legislature have unsuccessfully tried to influence state energy policy by opposing offshore wind power, policies promoting broader electric vehicle use and incentives to solar developers.
Among the questions Sanborn can expect are whether she’ll “prioritize the green agenda over affordability and reliability for ratepayers,” New England’s high energy costs and if she supports efforts to advance offshore wind that Paul characterized as the “most expensive and destructive form of energy.”
The Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee will schedule Sanborn’s confirmation hearing in January and vote on whether to recommend her nomination to the Senate.
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