PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
Amend the resolve by striking out all of section 1 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1 Office of Public Advocate study. Resolved: That the Office of the Public Advocate shall, in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission, other state agencies and interested members of the public, convene a study group to review the status of the regional greenhouse gas initiative authorized by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 38, section 579, referred to in this resolve as "the initiative"; to examine existing information and analyses regarding the impact of the initiative on electric rates for Maine electricity consumers; and to identify alternatives for reducing the cost of implementation of the initiative for Maine electricity consumers. The Public Advocate shall ensure that the study group meets sufficiently often to achieve these purposes. The Public Advocate shall, based on the work of the study group, prepare a report on identified impacts of the initiative on electricity costs and alternatives to reduce these costs and may include in the report proposed legislation designed to reduce identified costs and to ensure the successful implementation of the initiative. The report may include information provided to the Public Advocate from other sources regarding the effect of the initiative on Maine electricity consumers or the Maine economy. The report, including any proposed legislation, must be submitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy by January 1, 2008. The committee may submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature relating to the subject matter of this resolve.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment makes several changes to the study of the regional greenhouse gas initiative contained in the resolve. The bill directs the Office of the Public Advocate to undertake a study of the economic impacts of the regional greenhouse gas initiative on Maine electricity consumers and requires that the study determine a range of cost impacts for each of the first 10 years of the initiative. The amendment, instead, directs the Office of the Public Advocate to convene a study group to examine issues related to the impact of the regional greenhouse gas initiative on electricity prices for Maine consumers and to identify potential strategies to reduce the costs. The amendment also eliminates the requirement that the study determine the effect of the initiative on certain manufacturing facilities and identify recipients of revenues resulting from the initiative. The amendment retains the provisions in the resolve requiring the Office of the Public Advocate to submit a report by January 1, 2008 and authorizing the Joint Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy to submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)