Northern Pass Project Shocks Residents

New Hampshire has often found pride in its beautiful, scenic surroundings. Tourists drive from all over to visit Lake Winnipesauke in the summer, the foliage in the fall, and the White Mountains in the winter. But could this scenic paradise be in jeopardy? The Northern Pass transmission project makes this a possibility.

 The Northern Pass project began official development and conception in 2008 by HQ Hydro Renewable Energy, NU, and NSTAR. It is a project that proposes the installation of 135-foot power line towers through more than 140 miles of northern and central New Hampshire. These power lines would come from a Canadian hydroelectric facility called Hydro Quebec. The facility produces more megawatts of energy than all of New England combined, using about 98% of renewable hydro electricity. 

Due to the fact that this energy is hydropower, it would be a constant flow around the clock, as rivers and lakes do not rely on wind patterns or daylight for power. The power lines would provide New Hampshire with 1200 megawatts of high voltage direct current (DC) electricity. However, New Hampshire's current power lines run alternating currents (AC) so this project would also require a $250 million dollar converter station to be built in Franklin, NH in order to change the incoming DC to outgoing AC power. 

The building of such a facility in Franklin would be a huge construction in and of itself. "We haven't seen a construction project of this magnitude for many years. All aspects of construction industry will benefit from this project," said Joe Casey, the President of NH Building and Construction Trades Council.

The current in service date of the facility is projected to be the end of 2015, and as it is worth half the current value of Franklin, will have a major effect on the tax rate due to the multiple of millions of dollars the station will pay once it is in service. 

With all of its benefits, some residents of New Hampshire are concerned about the implementation of the project, and the impact it will have on surrounding communities and landscapes. 

"I do think that this issue should be addressed. I know that Plymouth offers some of the most gorgeous views of the North Country, and I would hate to see that ruined by unnecessary towers defacing New Hampshire's natural beauty," said PSU Grad student Kyle Haley. 

Adjunct Faculty teacher Allyn Dokus, who teaches two Environmental Geography courses here at PSU, also felt as if tourism would be affected. "I think it would effect some of the tourism, as local as the project would be, as far a single corridor, but it might effect some of the skiers, and definitely the leaf peepers,"   

Dokus also felt that there could be a better solution to the problem.  "I feel like, as a resident of Belmont, that it would personally insult my sensibilities and I would just feel terrible, when something more sustainable could be happening," said Dokus who would live only a mile away from where a section of the power lines would come through.  

Haley and Dokus are not the only ones concerned about the repercussions of the project. A group called Live Free or Fry (LFF) has also begun describing itself as a group of "concerned citizens against the NSTAR-HVDC power line in NH."  The group lists a number of possible negative effects the towers could have on New Hampshire such as home and property value depreciation, destruction of farmlands, and a drop in tourism. 

The group seems to have a lot of validity to their argument if tourism will really be impacted to a significant extent, as tourism is a major economic factor to consider, as it brings $3.5 billion dollars to New Hampshire annually. 

However, a more pressing issue that LFF is bringing to light is the health problems that are associated with massive power lines, such as those that the Northern Pass transmission project would include. According to the most recent and extensive research that the Oxford Childhood Cancer Research Group has done on health related issues due to power lines, "children under the age of 15 living within 100 meters of high-voltage power lines have close to twice the risk of developing leukemia." As many homes would be within a mile or closer of the power lines, this becomes an additional risk for New Hampshire residents.

 In states such as Connecticut, it has become law to consider the health effects related to power lines when building new lines, and it may have been found safer and more feasible for residents to bury the lines instead of having them exposed. 

Burying the lines is one suggestion that LFF has provided and the Community and Environmental Defense Service (CEDS) agrees with. This idea has been found to cost up to ten times more than placing the lines overhead, but may be worth it for residents who have to deal with the negative impacts. 

As of now, the project is being studied in engineering and routing options, and in communication with local and state stakeholders. Major construction is scheduled to begin as early as 2013 and is expected to offer 300-350 labor jobs to New Hampshire residents.  However, for opponents of the project, this only leaves the next two years to gain members and convince the state to find an alternative solution. Recently Senator Jean Shaheen got permission from the Obama Administration to hold an informational meeting and environmental review of the project, before it goes any further. "The citizens of our state have many unanswered questions and many concerns about this project, and their voices should be heard," Shaheen said. "An exhaustive and fair environmental review process is mandated by law, and I intend to see that process is followed." For more information on the project please visit www.northernpass.us. If you would like to find out more about Live Free or Fry and its public informational meetings please visit www.livefreeorfry.org.