NH Delegation Applauds Energy Department Decision to Conduct Thorough Review of New Northern Pass Route
Energy Department Agrees to Issue Supplement to Environmental Impact Statement, Extend Public Comment Period, & Delay Public Hearings
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), along with Representatives Ann McLane Kuster (NH-2) and Frank Guinta (NH-1) applauded today’s decision by the Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct a more thorough review of the Northern Pass Transmission Project’s newest “preferred route” proposal.
“We appreciate DOE’s decision to meet the request of concerned Granite Staters who want more information and more time to assess the impact of the new Northern Pass route,” the delegation members said. “We continue to believe that DOE must provide ample time for public review following the release of the supplemental to the draft Environmental Impact Statement.”
The delegation agreed with a request that several New Hampshire environmental groups made to DOE for the agency to supplement its draft Environmental Impact Statement to account for the new Northern Pass route, delay the public comment period and postpone the public hearings that were scheduled for October to allow more time for the public to review a supplement to the EIS. The delegation sent a letter to DOE in support of these sensible proposals.
Today, DOE announced that it would meet all three requests, with the comment period extended until December 31, 2015.
The original request to DOE for these provisions was made by: The Appalachian Mountain Club, Audubon Society of New Hampshire, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, Responsible Energy Action LLC, and The Nature Conservancy - NH Chapter.
