NH Forest Society Versus The Northern Pass Project and Related News

September 20, 2012 By nnp_girl

• Will PSNH announce a new route through Coos county?
• NH Forest Society versus PSNH and the Northern Pass project
• Trees NOT Towers Golf Tournament October 12th
• Only 85 foot towers through the White Mountain National Forest?
• ROW rental fees for the Northern Pass Project?

Will PSNH announce a new route through Coos county?

My my, so much happening in the news today! Is PSNH possibly ramping up to announce a new route for the Northern Pass project through Coos county? Our website already shares this link, however if you don’t see it, here it is again for you to read from our friends at Responsible Energy Action LLC. What will you do?

NH Forest Society versus PSNH and the Northern Pass project

PSNH and Northern Pass affiliates would like you to believe the reason that the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests is buying land for conservation easements and claiming to fight the Northern Pass project, is simply a convenient way to raise funds for their own selfish purposes… Shall we compare the mega billion dollar corporations–PSNH and Hydro Quebec–planning to reap billions of dollars from a privately funded and damaging high voltage transmission line, to a society formed in 1901 dedicated to conserving land for the preservation of New Hampshire’s finest asset–it’s forest’s? Hello! The hypocrisy of the statement is astounding. It reminds me of a new disorder my husband and doctor made up, HPD or hypocrisy personality disorder. In this case, there is no medicine like New Hampshire citizen’s standing up against the project.

The best way to fight this project right now is to support the Forest Society and donate immediately to the Northern Pass Initiative.

Trees NOT Towers Golf Tournament October 12th

Another fun way to fight the project and donate to the Forest Society, is to participate in the Trees NOT Towers Golf Tournament & Auctions at the Owl’s Nest Golf Resort. The event will be held on FRIDAY OCTOBER 12 rain or shine. There is golf, food, drinks, an auction, and best of all, live entertainment with the ATTA GIRLS!

Please go to the Owl’s Nest link above to see all the details. If you would like to attend only the evening festivities, it is $75 for dinner and entertainment with a cash bar. All the proceeds go DIRECTLY to the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests to secure the necessary land to block the Northern Pass project projected route by October 31st. One important note: Even if PSNH announces a route before the Forest Society secures the conservation easements, they would need eminent domain to get through these blockades of land purchases by the Forest Society. Do not be deterred by the fancy wording that PSNH might use to attempt to discourage you from donating.

Only 85 foot towers through the White Mountain National Forest?

Will the sudden efforts by PSNH to claim they can erect smaller towers for the Northern Pass project in the White Mountain National Forest to a mere 85 feet–where feasible–guarantee them a place to plant their metal structures through New Hampshire’s state treasure? Read the article and find out why this may not be all that it seems. A little bait and switch? Tom Wagner is the sole decision maker for the White Mountain National Forest. He may grant PSNH a special use permit for the Northern Pass project to cross the National Forest if there is NO other feasible route in the entire state. I think this project could go quite nicely down our existing state owned ROW (like route 93) in an underground fashion. Now, that would be feasible. Therefore, let’s hope this special use permit though the WMNF will be denied! We at the Alliance Against Northern Pass believe that line burial is truly the right thing to do.

ROW rental fees for the Northern Pass Project?

One other question for our readers: does the public have the right to know how much rent the Northern Pass or other projects would pay to inhabit a ROW for the purpose of transmitting power through their state? In this clip at the SB 361 commission meeting, Tom Mullen asks representatives from the North East Energy Link project how much they will pay the state of Maine to run the line underground through the state. NEL will not divulge this information. PSNH has never stated how much The Northern Pass will pay to rent their ROW either. Since the Northern Pass is a privately funded project and not rate payer driven, how much information should they divulge to us? When is it appropriate to disclose this information?