Towering Over Concord

The Homestead on Garvin Hill, built by Jesse Garvin in 1820

Patty Humphrey of Chichester was one of the last to speak at Tuesday's hearing at the Statehouse, and she reminded listeners that the visual blight of the proposed Northern Pass will  have significant impacts in central New Hampshire as well as up North. Northern Pass's proposed preferred route would tower over historic Garvin Hill in Chichester where she lives. She was kind enought to send me a note restating her point of view:

Dear Jack,

Like many of those who made statements concerning the advent of Northern Pass at the hearing on February 8, my husband Gordon and I love our home, love our land and love New Hampshire. We have tried to be good stewards and good neighbors during the 30 odd years we have had the privilege of living here.

What many of those who testified didn't seem to realize was that the power line not only threatens large swathes of raw wilderness, scenic beauty, and private property in the North Country, but also hundreds of parcels of land and historic structures in the Concord area.
Pending a waiver by the FAA allowing the line to stay on the ROW close to the Concord airport, it will leave the ROW in the Broken Ground section of Concord, cross I393, and continue through historic residential areas of Chichester and Pembroke. As was stated about other areas, it would appropriate property through eminent domain, debase the environment, destroy economic value, and decimate the tax base of the affected areas.

Residents of Chichester and Pembroke are banding together to save their towns and the Concord area from devastation.
Patty Humphrey

Chichester, NH

Stop the Towers at the Statehouse

Tremendous turnout at the Statehouse in Concord for the press conference about HB302 and the opposition to the Northern Pass proposal. For an mp3 audio file of the press conference, featuring remarks by Jim O'Brien (Conservation NH), John Harrigan, Valerie Herres, John Amey and Jane Difley (Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests), click here. Conservation NH posted videos of the press conference here, here,  and here.

Short Circuit on HB302

So here's the question of the day. If, as HB302 sponsors claim, the attempt to rewrite the renewable portfolios bill had nothing to do with allowing cheap imported ower from Hydro Quebec to qualify for renewable energy credits...then what WAS it about? Listen to NHPR's story about it here, or read about it in the Concord Monitor here. Meanwhile, dozens of opponents from the North Country will be arriving at the statehouse for a press conference at 12:30 Tues, Feb. 8 about HB302 and Northern Pass.

Burying the True Costs

Northern Pass likes to say that the power they would import from Hydro Quebec is inexpensive. Yet, as this Associated Press story by Kathy McCormack demonstrates, the idea of burying the transmission line is "too expensive", which begs the question: too expensive for whom? What the story does not include is the point that the proposal completely ignores the economic cost of lower property values, local jobs and tourism to New Hampshire businesses and residents, nor the cost of the environmental degradation caused by 45 miles of new transmission corridor superhighway.

Harrigan on Point

John Harrigan's latest salvo on the Northern Pass proposal hit the Union Leader on Thursday and is online today here. John is a stahlwart opponent who understands intuitively that the proposed corridor offers nothing for New Hampshire and everything for corporate interests in southern New England. I'm glad the UL put this one online so that people have the opportunity to comment.