(1) The Searsport-Loring corridor may be used, developed and expanded for energy infrastructure consistent with any leases, easements or other agreements in effect on the effective date of this subsection. It is not a statutory corridor until the expiration or termination of such leases, easements or other agreements.

(2) The executive director of the Loring Development Authority of Maine shall notify the Interagency Review Panel under subsection 1-B when any leases, easements or other agreements in effect on the effective date of this subsection affecting or otherwise pertaining to the Searsport-Loring corridor have expired or otherwise terminated.

(1) The Director of the Governor's Office of Energy Independence and Security within the Executive Department or the director's designee;

(2) The Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services or the commissioner's designee;

(3) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development or the commissioner's designee; and

(4) The commissioner of each department or the director of any other state agency that owns or controls land or assets within the statutory corridor under consideration or that commissioner's or director's designee.

(1) The panel shall deny an energy infrastructure proposal that does not:

(2) The panel may accept an energy infrastructure proposal only if the panel finds that the proposal is in the long-term public interest of the State. In determining whether the proposal is in the long-term public interest, the panel shall, at a minimum, consider the extent to which the proposal:

(1) The panel shall negotiate the terms of the occupancy agreement, including but not limited to the length of the agreement and compensation to the State for use of the statutory corridor. In negotiating the occupancy agreement, the panel shall take into account existing legal commitments, contractual obligations, reasonable investment-backed expectations and relevant prior state investments, when applicable.

(2) Compensation to the State may be in the form of payments made on an annual basis or the functional or financial equivalent, discounted prices for energy products or services, partial ownership by the State of the energy infrastructure on the basis of the value of the statutory corridor in proportion to the energy infrastructure as a whole, or other appropriate form. The terms of compensation may include provisions for periodic adjustment of the compensation to the State over time and reimbursement of costs to the state agency or agencies that own or control the statutory corridor.

(3) Negotiation of compensation to the State must be based on at least one independent appraisal performed by a professional appraiser in accordance with paragraph F. An independent appraisal performed under this subparagraph must, at a minimum, consider the costs that will be avoided by the potential developer, including but not limited to the costs of acquisition, lease or rental of private land, the costs of property taxes on private land, the costs of surveying, appraisal, environmental, engineering and other work necessary for use of private land, the costs of time and potential conflict regarding the use of private land, the unique and limited nature of the state-owned land or asset, the revenues estimated to be generated by the use of the state-owned land or asset and other relevant factors.

(1) Have demonstrated experience in the valuation and evaluation of utility corridors or transportation corridors;

(2) Hold a professional designation from a nationally recognized organization of appraisers; and

(3) Be licensed by this State as a certified general real property appraiser in accordance with Title 32, section 14035 or hold a comparable license from another state.

(1) Proprietary information in the possession of the state agency; and

(2) Proprietary information in the possession of the panel or a professional appraiser assisting the panel.

(1) The rulemaking to designate an energy infrastructure  a petitioned corridor must include a public hearing in which any member of the public may submit oral or written testimony or comments, which must be incorporated into the rule-making record in accordance with Title 5, section 8052, subsection 1. The commission shall provide an opportunity for examination of the petitioner at a rule-making hearing. The commission shall allow for written comments by any member of the public up to 7 days prior to the hearing. The commission shall allow a second round of written comments to be filed within 10 days of the hearing or within such longer time as the commission may direct.

(2) In any rulemaking regarding the designation of an energy infrastructure  a petitioned corridor, the commission shall address all written comments, including those submitted pursuant to subsection 3, and state its rationale for adopting or rejecting any proposals or recommendations contained in those written comments.

(3) A designation of an energy infrastructure  a petitioned corridor must be based on substantial evidence in the record of the rule-making hearing.

(1) Does not contain sufficient information to support the designation of an energy infrastructure  a petitioned corridor; or

(2) Was filed by a person other than the Office of the Public Advocate, Executive Department, Governor's Office of Energy Independence and Security or an interested person as defined by subsection 1, paragraph E  a person listed in paragraph B.

(1) In the public interest, including, but not limited to, consideration of:

(2) Consistent with environmental and land use laws and rules of the State. A finding that the future development of energy infrastructure within the petitioned corridor is reasonably likely to be consistent with environmental and land use laws and rules of the State under this paragraph has no evidentiary value in a subsequent consolidated environmental permit proceeding undertaken by the department pursuant to subsection 6.

(1) Houlton Band Trust Land, as defined in Title 30, section 6203, subsection 2A;

(2) Passamaquoddy Indian territory, as defined in Title 30, section 6203, subsection 6;

(3) Penobscot Indian territory, as defined in Title 30, section 6203, subsection 9;

(4) Aroostook Band Trust Land, as defined in Title 30, section 7202, subsection 2;

(5) Lands that constitute a park as defined in Title 12, section 1801, subsection 7 and Baxter State Park; and

(6) Federally owned land.

(1) The commission has issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity approving the transmission line in accordance with section 3132; and

(2) The department has issued a consolidated environmental permit approving the project in accordance with subsection 6.

(1) The commission has issued a corridor use certificate approving the project in accordance with subsection 5; and

(2) The department has issued a consolidated environmental permit approving the project in accordance with subsection 6.

(1) The commission has issued a corridor use certificate approving the project in accordance with subsection 5; and

(2) The department has issued a consolidated environmental permit approving the project in accordance with subsection 6.

(1) The person has entered into an occupancy agreement with the Interagency Review Panel in accordance with subsection 1-B and in compliance with applicable state and federal rules, regulations and laws;

(2) The department has issued a consolidated environmental permit for the project in accordance with subsection 6; and

(3) If the project is a transmission line that requires a certificate of public convenience and necessity under section 3132, the commission has issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the transmission line.

(1) The department has issued a consolidated environmental permit for the project in accordance with subsection 6;

(2) The commission has issued a corridor use certificate for the project in accordance with subsection 5-A; and

(3) If the project is a transmission line that requires a certificate of public convenience and necessity under section 3132, the commission has issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity approving the transmission line.

(1) Minimize utility rates or increase the reliability of utility service;

(2) Have the net effect of reducing the release of greenhouse gases; or

(3) Enhance economic development within the State.

(1) Enhance opportunities for energy generation within the State; and

(2) Significantly and measurably reduce electric rates or other relevant energy costs for residents and businesses within the State.

(1) Enhance opportunities for energy generation within the State, including access to the proposed energy infrastructure for renewable energy generation;

(2) Significantly and measurably reduce electric rates or other relevant energy costs for residents and businesses within the State;

(3) Maximize long-term economic benefits for the State, including but not limited to direct financial benefits, employment opportunities and economic development;

(4) Ensure efficient use of the petitioned corridor through collocation of energy infrastructure, collaboration between energy infrastructure developers and the preservation of options for future uses;

(5) Minimize conflict with the public purposes for which the state-owned land or asset is owned and any management plans for the land or asset within the petitioned corridor and, when necessary, mitigate unavoidable impacts;

(6) Limit and mitigate the effects of energy infrastructure on the landscape, including but not limited to using underground installation when economically and technically feasible;

(7) Increase energy reliability, security and independence of the State; and

(8) Reduce the release of greenhouse gases.

(1) Lands or easements located within 300 feet of an inhabited dwelling;

(2) Lands or easements on or adjacent to any developed or undeveloped water power;

(3) Lands or easements so closely paralleling existing wire lines of other utilities that the proposed energy infrastructure would substantially interfere with service rendered over the existing lines, except with the consent of the owners;

(4) Lands or easements owned or used by railroad corporations, except as authorized pursuant to section 2311;

(5) Lands or easements owned by the State; and

(6) Transmission and distribution plant that is owned, controlled, operated or managed by a transmission and distribution utility on the effective date of this section.

(1) The commission may exercise the authority under this paragraph only in an adjudicatory proceeding upon a petition by the Office of the Public Advocate or the Executive Department, Governor's Office of Energy Independence and Security demonstrating that such action is urgently needed to avoid substantial harm to electricity consumers regarding anticipated activity associated with an energy infrastructure corridor. A determination by the commission that the exercise of eminent domain under this paragraph is urgently needed to avoid substantial harm to electricity consumers regarding anticipated activity associated with an energy infrastructure corridor constitutes reviewable final agency action.

(2) The amount of any lands or easements taken by the commission pursuant to this subsection may be no greater than is required to avoid the harm to electricity consumers identified under subparagraph (1).

(3) The right of eminent domain granted in this paragraph does not apply to personal property, fixtures or improvements that constitute transmission and distribution plant.

(4) The commission may exercise the right of eminent domain for the purposes of this paragraph in the same manner and under the same conditions as set forth in chapter 65. For the purposes of the exercise of eminent domain authorized by this paragraph, the commission is both a person and the State.

(5) The commission is authorized to assess transmission and distribution utilities to the extent necessary to obtain sufficient funds to pay for lands and easements taken pursuant to this subsection.

(6) The commission, in an adjudicatory proceeding upon petition by the Office of the Public Advocate or the Executive Department, Governor's Office of Energy Independence and Security, may transfer or convey to any person or state agency lands and easements once acquired, except that a transmission and distribution utility whose lands or easements were taken pursuant to this paragraph must be given the first opportunity to acquire the lands or easements to the extent necessary or useful in the performance of its duties as a transmission and distribution utility.

(7) The commission shall report on the circumstances of any taking by eminent domain to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters during the next regular session of the Legislature following the acquisition of lands or easements by eminent domain.