A regional project for Massachusetts to import Canadian hydropower
through Maine has run into difficulties because people living near the
planned cable were unhappy with it. Planet roasters aggravated the
dispute in order to kill the plan.
It wouldn't surprise me if the cable contractor chose an annoying route
in order to increase its profits. Maybe its path should be changed.
Maybe Massachusetts should pay Mainers and Anishnabeg more for the
electricity so as to win their approval. Why not? They are not well
off.
But I criticize the article for calling them "the most affected
communities", assuming that people who live near the power cable —
who are concerned about aesthetics and tourism — have more at stake
than the hundreds of millions whose lives will be upended, or simply
ended, by global heating disaster.
This deal is very important because it is a step towards saving them.
Changing details to salvage the deal is fine. Killing it is not.