Case Details

- Case Details:

Case Number:

2019-00223

Case Status:

Closed

Utility/Industry Type :

Other

Utility/Industry Subtype :

Other

Case Type :

COMMISSION INITIATED

Case Subtype :

INQUIRY

Pertaining to Utility/Company :

PUBLIC UTILITIES COM-O

Case Title :

COMMISSION INITIATED INQUIRY RELATED TO ABANDONED UTILITY POLES AND ASSOCIATED FACILITIES

Initiating Filer :

PUBLIC UTILITIES COM-O

Case Start Date :

8/26/2019

Assigned Staff :

Derek.D.Davidson,
Jordan.D.McColman,
LYNN.A.FORTIN,
Paulina.Collins,
Margrethe.Heimgartne,
Michael.R.Johnson,
Michael.Simmons,
Mitchell.Tannenbaum,
Jason.Marco

View Case References

Filings (15) Data Requests (0)Public Comments (6) Active Party and Notification List (17) Assigned Staff (9)

Today is Sun, May 11, 2025

Item No.	Date Filed	Description Of Filing	Filing Party	Filed By	No of Attachments	Deleted Filings
15	5/4/2020	Report for the Legislature	COMMISSION, MPUC	COMMISSION, MPUC	2
14	12/20/2019	Response to Procedural Order	NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND COMPANY, LLC. D/B/A CONSOLIDATED COMMUNICATIONS-NNE	Davis, Sarah	5
13	12/11/2019	Procedural Order	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	1
12	12/11/2019	Response to Procedural Order	VERSANT POWER	Costello, James	5
11	12/11/2019	CMP Comments	CENTRAL MAINE POWER COMPANY	Regulatory Administration, Debra Mills Y	4
10	12/11/2019	Comments on Procedural Order	TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION OF MAINE	Sanborn Esq., Benjamin	1
9	12/9/2019	Letter Requesting Extension of Deadline for Comments	NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND COMPANY, LLC. D/B/A CONSOLIDATED COMMUNICATIONS-NNE	Hewitt, William	1
8	11/19/2019	PROCEDURAL ORDER	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	COMMISSION STAFF, CMS	1
7	9/23/2019	Comments of Consolidated Communications	NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND COMPANY, LLC. D/B/A CONSOLIDATED COMMUNICATIONS-NNE	Davis, Sarah	2
6	9/23/2019	Comments of Central Maine Power Company	CENTRAL MAINE POWER COMPANY	Regulatory Administration, Debra Mills Y	1

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Posted By	Posted Date	Comments	Attachment(s)
Kate Dufour 60 Community Drive Augusta, ME04330 Email ID:kdufour@memun.org Phone No. :207-623-8428	9/23/2019	Please find attached the initial comment of the Maine Municipal Association.	MMA Comment - Docket 2019-00223.pdf
Christopher J. Osterrieder, P.E. Town of Kennebunk 1 Summer Street Kennebunk, Maine 04043 Email ID: costerrieder@kennebunkmaine.us Phone No.: 207-604-1337	9/23/2019	Hello: I am the Director of Community Development and Town Engineer for the Town of Kennebunk. The Town of Kennebunk is serviced by tow utility providers, Kennebunk Light & Power and Central Maine Power, each who share facilities with Consolidated Communications. On many occasions, there is extensive coordination for the timely relocation of the utilities, however, the break point is often in the removal of the abandon pole. The Town has had to make an inordinate effort to try and track down a contact who can actually facilitate the removal of the pole. While we do issue pole permits for new installations, in many cases, the relocation does not require one. The Town of Kennebunk does not wish to impart any onerous conditions upon utilities providers and we happen to enjoy a very positive relationship with our local electric service provider. The Town is very friendly and accommodating toward the local utilities and it seems that extensive delay of certain providers to remove abandoned utilities abuses that good relationship. While a utility seems to enjoy protections from being labeled as a "fixed deadly object", it seems that once the poles are essentially abandoned in place for more than a reasonable period of time, 90 days, that protection should cease to exist. On behalf of the Town of Kennebunk, I would encourage reasonable legislation that would require utilities to fulfill their obligation to manage their facilities and safely exist existing within the Public Right-of-Way. While the town does not wish to have a roles in managing these installations, it is equally frustrating when the Town invests significant funds to improve its infrastructure and this standard is not upheld by other utilities. Sincerely, Christopher J. Osterrieder, P.E. Town of Kennebunk
Dale Doughty, Public Works Director City of Lewiston 103 Adams Ave Lewiston Maine 04240 Email ID: ddoughty@lewistonmaine.gov Phone No.: 207-513-3003	9/23/2019	See attached letter and photos.	DSCF0807.JPG DSCF0815.JPG PUC Comments.docx
Peter Crichton City of Auburn 60 Court Street Email ID: pcrichton@auburnmaine.gov Phone No.: 207-333-6600	9/17/2019	This is definitely an issue throughout the City of Auburn. Public Works has had to pull poles after waiting up to two years. For example, there are a number of poles on Center Street where poles have not been transferred in over 3 years. This narrows the sidewalk, so that our sidewalk tractor barely fits through.
LAUCHLIN TITUS Town of Vassalboro 1063 MAIN ST Vassalboro, ME 04989 Email ID: lauchlin54@gmail.com Phone No.: (207) 314-2655	9/11/2019	I am a member of the Board of Selectmen, Town of Vassalboro. Town Manager, Mary Sabins, and I have had numerous conversations over a period of years regarding abandoned utility poles in the village of North Vassalboro. I do not have exact dates, but I know pole replacement happened more than a decade ago. I first mentioned the issue of what I call "pole pollution" to Mary Sabins 6 or more years ago. She fortuitously had a contact with CMP who we understood had some responsibility to connect with the other utilities to get lines and hardware removed to the "new" pole so that the old ones could be removed. She received polite replies and encouraging words that there would be action to resolve this. She had an encouraging message on March 29, 2019 from Eric Wilkins at CMP, but no results. Mary asked for an update on September 3, 2019. I took a drive this morning around North Vassalboro specifically to count abandoned poles and found 25. They are on Main Street (State Route 32), Priest Hill Road, Lang Street, Maple Street, Oak Grove Road, and Cemetery Street. Most have lines and/or hardware on them. The potential for life threatening injury is greater when a vehicle goes off the road and hits two poles instead of one. One of the poles on Main Street (Route 32) has a distinct lean toward the road on a curve in the road, seeming to be a specific safety issue. Vassalboro proudly hangs the US flag on 100 utility poles along Main Street in Vassalboro due to the generosity of the Vassalboro Business Association, the local Masonic Lodge, and with help from the Vassalboro Fire Department. Some are damaged or destroyed every year by getting caught on hardware or large splinters on the adjoining abandoned poles. While not a huge thing, this is certainly discouraging to volunteers who raise money and do good works in our community. Lastly, the darn things are just plain ugly. This situation has been allowed to exist for far too long and needs to be addressed.
Bill Nichols Livermore Falls Public Works 2 Main st, Livermore Falls Email ID: bill@lfme.org Phone No.: 207-897-2081	9/3/2019	We have 2 streets in Livermore Falls that we have been waiting for CMP since 2016 to replace poles so we can rebuild the streets and sidewalk, ( have emails to back up) I do not have a exact count on how many other poles we are waiting on telephone or just to be removed thru out our Town.

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Notification List Active Party List

Name of Person/Company	Representing Company	Mailing Address	Email/Phone/Fax
Beebe-Center, Pinny		ME	Email ID: beebe-center@legislature.maine Phone Fax:
Cohen, James		One Portland Square PO Box 586 Portland ME 04112 0586	Email ID: jcohen@verrilldana.com Phone Ph: 207-774-4000 Fax: Fax: 207-774-7499
Davis, Dan		ME	Email ID: dansd36@gmail.com Phone Fax:
Donahue Esq., Joseph		PO Box 1058 45 Memorial Circle Augusta ME 04332	Email ID: jdonahue@preti.com Phone Ph: 207-623-5300 Extn: 3293 Fax: Fax: 207-623-2914
Drew, Rick		328 Fuller Road Hermon ME 04401	Email ID: drewk@hermon.net Phone Ph: 207-848-2074 Fax:
Dufour, Kate		60 Community Drive Augusta ME 04330	Email ID: kdufour@memun.org Phone Ph: 207-623-8428 Fax:
Hart, Deb		ME	Email ID: debhart@hartpublicpolicy.com Phone Fax:
Lesko, Amy		PO Box 1058 45 Memorial Circle Augusta ME 04332	Email ID: alesko@preti.com Phone Ph: 207-623-5300 Extn: 3195 Fax: Fax: 207-623-2914
Lynch Esq., Mary Ann		104 Sewall Street Augusta ME 04330	Email ID: maryann@mitchelltardyjackson.com Phone Ph: 207-232-1048 Fax:
Malisa, Madeline Kenney		5 Davis Farm Road Portland ME 04103	Email ID: madeline.malisa@consolidated.com Phone Ph: 207-535-4191 Fax:

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Staff Name	Role
Collins, Paulina	Hearing Examiner
Davidson, Derek	Reviewer
FORTIN, ETHELYN	Support Staff
Heimgartner, Margrethe	Staff Analyst
Johnson, Michael	Staff Analyst
Marco, Jason	Staff Analyst
McColman, Jordan	Hearing Examiner
Simmons, Michael	Staff Analyst
Tannenbaum, Mitchell	Reviewer

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