Maine’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted unanimously on Tuesday to reject a proposal from Versant Power that would have helped law enforcement root out illegal marijuana grows across the state, including the more than 270 sites operated by Asian Transnational Criminal Organizations (ATCO).
[RELATED: Maine Republican Proposes Bill to Crack Down on Blackmarket Chinese Drug Houses…]
Versant came to the PUC with a proposal that would allow it to report unusually high electricity consumption to law enforcement because the company claims that it has a high success rate of identifying illegal Chinese marijuana grows through power consumption.
“it would not be appropriate for utilities to report high usage customers, as Versant has proposed. Such customers may have other legitimate reasons for high usage, and using such broad criteria would likely result in the privacy of many innocent customers being violated,” MPUC Chair Phil L. Bartlett II said at the commission’s Tuesday meeting.
Bartlett, the former chair of the Maine Democratic Party, noted that the Office of the Public Advocate, an agency responsible for protecting consumers, also opposed Versant’s proposal.
Patrick J. Scully and Carolyn C. Gilbert, the two other members of the commission, also voted in favor of rejecting Versant’s plan.
Last year, a leaked federal memo revealed that ATCOs were operating more than 270 illegal drug trafficking hubs throughout Maine, including hundreds of rural properties that have been converted into blackmarket marijuana growing sites.
[RELATED: Triad Weed: How Chinese Marijuana Grows Took Over Rural Maine…]
Currently, Versant cannot communicate that data to law enforcement unless it is requested by law enforcement as part of an ongoing investigation.
Central Maine Power (CMP), Maine’s largest electrical utility, did not support Versant’s proposed initiative.
Versant’s communication manager, Judy Long, told Newscenter Maine that the company made the proposal because the high usage rates commonly associated with illegal marijuana grows poses significant risk for house fires.
“The grow houses were using way more electricity in some cases than their residential wiring could accommodate without creating a real danger of fire,” said Long.
She went on to cite multiple situations in which Versant employees found that the electric meters at illegal grow houses had reached an excess of 500 degrees.
“This was a conversation strictly about people that were using marijuana growing operations in an unsafe way and were able to be identified through certain characteristics of that unsafe usage,” said Long.
You would think that some sort of compromise could be reached so both sides’s issue are met
You would think the State Of Maine would like to collect more tax money from China from the growing of illegal grass. The Governor should have a long time ago requested the Power companies records to assist the police. Just how mush crouption is in Maine Government Governor?
If General Mills would give the order for the State Police to help put and her brother people’s properties wouldn’t have to deal with potentially being swatted just because they have high power usage.
Also, stop being a sanctuary state for illegals and put pressure on her fellow Dems to close the borders.
yeah, like their worried about “privacy” of mainers…. just the honest hardworking real mainers they wanna steal their privacy to take more tax dollars, dont worry about the illegal’s or their illegal grow operations… were in for a world of s#$t in this state and the country if people dont wake the heck up now! its not about which party your on any more, its good common sense and evil scum.
“Bartlett, the former chair of the Maine Democratic Party,” And is it likely that he will take orders from Governess Mills, whose Brother has been said to be involved in these grows?
Democrats in Maine are protecting the Chinese Pot grow houses. Follow the money.
Ok… so what this is saying is that people working for the electric companies have zero common sense to realize the difference between what is a massive weed growing indoor farm and Joe regular american using a little bit more energy at Christmas time to decorate the house…… duh, …..
Our corrupt “governor” made sure that would never happen, and interfere with her cash flow, while the rest of us struggle to buy food…….The Chinese even get State Police Protection that we pay for ! The State Police have more important crimes to fight, like riding around looking for cars without inspection stickers to ticket with $200 fines !
If you see something, say something….and the democrats will do nothing.
What is going on? This is an illegal activity. There are hundreds of these weed farms pumping millions of dollars into the hands of criminals.
Our good Maine Democrats would be all over hundreds of hugely successful legitimate companies to collect taxed, and fees. The Natural Resource Council of Maine might even sue them for polluting the air and water.
Obviously the triads have more than enough money to pay for protection. I wonder if we elect Republicans this fall if the Triads will suffer?
Well, you can’t use something that actually works! Would be pretty easy for a cop to knock on the door and politely ask for a quick look see. Maybe neighbors could call the cops if they suspect this activity is occurring.
Don’t need electricity at all to grow 420
Can’t make quality 420 by growing it en masse like all pics show
High electricity needed for welding
Narcotics are welded airtight to bypass scanners and K-9
Observing temperature and thickness of drop line is not violation of privacy because the utility customer does not own drop line
We’ll be expecting to see many narcotics busts where there are welding set-ups in the near future, like, as soon as this weekend.
Triads in new york and this regional area are clothes makers, shop owners, and craftsmen. They don’t make money from cannabis.
this is the doing of retired and fired leos and feds from out of state
The democrats WANT you smoking pot . That’s why there are pot shops on every corner .
Drinking beer and smoking pot will keep the populace stupid .
More breweries per capital than any other state than Vermont .
You can’t buy rolling papers on Amazon but you can smoke lots of pot . What’s that about ?
The craziness in Augusta and the craziness in Washington can be corrected .
Vote these democrats out of office at EVERY opportunity .
Ranked choice voting … stupid flags with stars and pine trees ….re – name the state reptile …..no more Columbus Day …lthe worst record of state funded child abuse in the nation . ….our priorities are screwed up .
Vote them out or lose the whole damn state to “ illegal immigrants aka new Mainers …