The meeting regarding the rebuild of a transmission line will be held on September 24 at 6:00 p.m. at the Don Russell Select Board Room, Topsham Municipal Building, 100 Main Street in Topsham.
PUBLIC NOTICE: NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE
Please take notice that
Central Maine Power Company
83 Edison Drive,
Augusta, ME 04336
c/o Corrine Anderson
is intending to file a Natural Resources Protection Act permit application with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to the provisions of 38 M.R.S.A. §§ 480-A thru 480-BB and regulations there under. CMP will also be seeking a Section 401 Water Quality Certification pursuant to 33 U.S.C. S 1341. The application will be filed on or about:
October 1, 2025
The application is for the rebuild of a 5.6-mile long, 34.5 kV transmission line known as Section 31 in its existing transmission line corridor. The purpose of this work is to improve the reliability of electrical service in midcoast communities. The line crosses wetlands, vernal pools, and streams, and as such requires a permit from the MDEP. CMP will clear trees in selected locations along the existing transmission corridor, replace existing transmission poles (approximately 35-45 feet tall) with new poles (approximately 45-55 feet tall) in adjacent locations, and establish temporary access during construction. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2026 and will take approximately 12-18 months.
Location: The Section 31 corridor begins at the Topsham Substation (Main St, Topsham) and terminates at the Brunswick West Side Substation (Barrows Rd, Brunswick). The corridor passes over Routes 1 and 196, Topsham Fair Mall Rd, River Rds (both towns), Monument Place, Park Dr, Midway Dr, River Rd, Greenwood Rd, Bibber Pkwy, Industrial Pkwy, Rugosa Way, and Church Rd, Colombia Ave, Baribeau Dr and Emanuel Dr.
Public Information Meeting: CMP will host a public information meeting on September 24, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at the Don Russell Select Board Room, Topsham Municipal Building, 100 Main Street. Topsham, ME 04086.
A request for a public hearing or a request that the Board of Environmental Protection assume jurisdiction over this application must be received by the Department in writing no later than 20 days after the application is found by the Department to be complete and is accepted for processing. A public hearing may or may not be held at the discretion of the Commissioner or Board of Environmental Protection. Public comment on the application will be accepted throughout the processing of the application.
The application will be filed for public inspection at the Department of Environmental Protection's office in Augusta during normal working hours. A copy of the application may also be seen at the municipal offices in Topsham and Brunswick, Maine.
Written public comments may be sent to the regional office in Augusta where the application is filed for public inspection:
Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Land and Water Quality, 17 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0017
