Provide Testimony about Transmission Lines
Tuesday March 11. Details here.
As noted last week, there are two bills that you need to provide testimony about if you were impacted by the Aroostook Renewable Gateway proposal. They are LD 596 and LD 810.
When: 1pm, March 11, 2025
Where: EUT Committee, Cross Building, Room 211. Augusta, Maine.
What: LD 596 "Resolve, to Provide Legislative Approval of Northern Maine Transmission Infrastructure" and LD 810 “An Act Regarding the Approval of Transmission Lines”
If you are going in person, aim to arrive 30 minutes early if you haven’t been before. That will give you time to find parking (the public lot is always too full), find the Committee Room 211, sign in, and get a seat.) Often seats are gone by quarter to the hour, which means you would need to sit in the overflow room.
Can’t make it in person? You can join by Zoom (details below), or just upload testimony.
On writing testimony: The traditional way to begin written or spoken testimony to the EUT committee is with these phrases:
“Senator Lawrence, Representative Sachs, and Members of the Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee,
My name is [NAME] and I live in [PLACE].
I am providing testimony in [Support/ Opposition to/ Neither For nor Against] LD [NUMBER].”
After that, go on to provide all the reasons why you are providing testimony.
Speaking in Person, Uploading Testimony, or Joining by Zoom:
A benefit to uploading testimony is any hyperlinks you have included as references will be clickable.
Additionally: I have observed that committee members make eye contact and pay more attention to the person giving testimony if they DON’T have a copy to read. Written testimony is not required to speak.
To note, the committee states that you should arrive with 20 pre-printed copies of your testimony if it is written, but many of the professionals (lobbyists) do not do that. (different rules?)
It’s good to be able to adjust your testimony on the fly if you can manage that performative aspect, and only speak about items that have not already been covered.
That’s where personal, emotional stories come in. Nobody else will have the same story to tell as you!
To Upload Testimony:
Select Public Hearing at this link. (See picture below)
Select Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee
Select Date (March 11th)
Select LD 596 or LD 810
Select if you would like to testify over Zoom
