Overview
- Gov. Janet Mills vetoed the bill on Friday, saying she could not support a pause that lacked an exemption for a $550 million project at the former Jay paper mill.
- She said she will create a review council by executive order to study grid strain, water use, and rate impacts, including a cited 36 percent hike estimate.
- She also signed a separate law that blocks data center projects from using Maine’s business development tax incentives.
- The vetoed measure would have paused permits for facilities that draw more than 20 megawatts until November 2027 in what would have been the first statewide halt in the country.
- Lawmakers can seek an override that requires a two‑thirds vote in each chamber as Maine’s approach unfolds with many other states weighing similar pauses.