SHAHEEN, AYOTTE: CHANGE IN NORTHERN PASS ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW GOOD FOR STATE

(Washington, D.C.) — U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte jointly hailed as a positive development today’s announced change of contractors for the Northern Pass environmental review process.

Northern Pass LLC, in a letter to the Department of Energy, said today that it wished to end an arrangement that had the company’s own paid contractor -- Normandeau Associates -- in charge of the government’s objective environmental assessment of the project. Both senators had raised concerns with the Department of Energy over the possible appearance of a conflict of interest.

“We are glad the appearance of a potential conflict of interest has been addressed,” Shaheen and Ayotte said in a joint statement. “This will strengthen the environmental review process, which should be fair and thorough. The Department of Energy should pick a new contractor whose objectivity cannot be questioned.”