For Immediate Release

AUGUSTA, October 3, 2022 ??The New England Clean Energy Connect project corridor must be cleared of temporary crane mats and previously cut trees, according to a directive from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to NECEC Transmission LLC.

A condition of the original permit limits the length of time crane mats can remain in place to 18 months.? The remaining crane mats must be removed prior to the onset of winter for NECEC Transmission LLC to remain in compliance with the permit.? The Suspension Order anticipated the need to remove trees which had been cut before construction of the project was suspended.? According to the Order:?Should vegetation cut prior to the issuance of this Order remain within the transmission line corridor or Project site, this cut vegetation may be removed or chipped and spread consistent with the terms of the License. No new vegetation may be cut so long as the License is suspended.

Removal of the construction matting and felled trees along the corridor does not constitute restarting of construction and complies with the current Suspension Order's requirements. The removal of these materials before the ground freezes will help those areas to revegetate more quickly.

The tentative schedule for activity on the corridor is as follows:

Segment Number	Approximate Start date	Approximate End date	Approximate Number of Crane Mats to be removed	Approximate miles of tree pick up
Segment 1	10/3/2022	10/11/20/2022	11,800	14.67
Segment 2	10/26/2022	11/29/2022	17,600	0
Segment 3	11/29/2022	12/14/2022	7,175	7.25

The Suspension Order issued by Maine DEP on November 23, 2021, remains in effect.