In late June, 2013, Northern Pass announced amendments to its proposed route for the 180-mile elective transmission line through New Hampshire carrying hydropower from Quebec to New England. As a result of these amendments, the Department of Energy has announced four additional public scoping hearings in September, to gather public comment on the proposed route, and what alternatives should be studied as part of the agency’s review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This review, which culminates in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), is the underpinning for the permitting decision. In this instance, the EIS will also inform the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) decision-making process for the Special Use Permit (SUP) needed by Northern Pass, because the proposed route traverses more than 10 miles of the WMNF and crosses the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
The scoping hearings are taking place in four locations in New Hampshire, and written scoping comments will be accepted until November 5th, 2013. Those hearings are slated for:
- Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center, 70 Constitution Avenue, Concord, N.H.
- Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Plymouth State University, Silver Center for the Arts, Hanaway Theater, 17 High Street, Plymouth, N.H.
- Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa, Presidential Room, 101 Mountain View Road, Whitefield, N.H.
- Thursday, Sept. 26, 2013, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Colebrook Elementary School, 27 Dumont Street, Colebrook, N.H.
More information is available in this Federal Register notice.
We encourage you to participate in this scoping process—it is a critical opportunity to register your concerns as part of the permitting process.
More information on Northern Pass and how you can get involved is available on AMC’s website.Labels: New Hampshire, NH, Northern Pass, White Mountain National Forest, White Mountains