December 29. 2014 9:01PM Proposed gas pipeline is raising concern in Amherst By KIMBERLY HOUGHTON Union Leader Correspondent Signs in opposition to the proposed gas pipeline are sprouting up in areas of Amherst, including this section of Thornton Ferry Road II. AMHERST — Signs in opposition of a proposed gas pipeline are surfacing throughout Amherst while residents have begun to question the project. So far, the Amherst Board of Selectmen has not taken a position for or against the pipeline, but voted last week to meet with pipeline representatives only in public. “There are definitely a number of citizens that are concerned about it — many of them would be directly impacted by the proposed pipeline that would cross their land,” Dwight Brew, chairman of the board, said Monday. There is still a lot of information that needs to be sought, including potential environmental issues, economic impacts and other possible routes within or outside of Amherst that might make more sense, according to Brew. “We will continue to gather information, meet with Kinder Morgan, with other towns, the Nashua Regional Planning Commission, our state representatives and also our federal representatives to try and understand what options exist, and to make sure that if a pipeline is built in Amherst, it is done in a way that is best for the town of Amherst,” selectmen said in a statement posted on the town’s website. Amherst is one of 17 communities in the Granite State that is in the path of Kinder Morgan’s proposed 36-inch pipeline across southern New Hampshire. Town officials are studying the newly preferred option for the Northeast Energy Direct Route project that would span about 71 miles across the state and be constructed by the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. Last week, about 50 private property owners attended a selectmen meeting when the board voted unanimously to meet only in public with pipeline developers, a decision made earlier this month by the Merrimack Town Council as well. If developed, the proposed pipeline could impact about 66 properties in Amherst. The Tennessee Gas Pipeline is a nearly 14,000-mile pipeline that transports natural gas from Louisiana, the Gulf of Mexico and south Texas to the northeast, including New York City and Boston. “There are multiple versions of maps floating around right now, but one of the things that we have learned is that the route of the pipeline could go anywhere through Amherst, and that is why people are so alarmed,” said Joseph McCool of Simeon Wilson Road. “It may even travel under the Souhegan River four times in less than a half-mile stretch near Souhegan High School.” While McCool commends town officials for agreeing to meet publicly with Kinder Morgan representatives, he still has concerns about the proposal. He, along with other opponents in Amherst, are considering whether to seek a special town meeting or warrant article to address the topic. “My first instinct was that someone has arbitrarily taken a red pen and drawn it right across the southern tier of New Hampshire — right on or near my property,” said McCool. “I am a private property owner, and I don’t want a high-pressure natural gas pipeline that could leak or explode through a residential neighborhood in Amherst and other surrounding neighborhoods.” Citizens in opposition to the project have begun placing signs throughout town that read, “No Pipeline,” with a link to nhpipelineawareness.org. A Facebook page titled “Amherst Citizens Natural Gas Pipeline Awareness” has also been created. “We are going to exercise our rights to fight this,” said McCool, maintaining a one-time payment for a property easement will not adequately cover the loss by local property owners. Richard Wheatley, director of corporate communications for Kinder Morgan, said Monday that there will be many opportunities for the public to provide input about the project as the permitting process unfolds. “After the first of the year we will be scheduling public meetings with communities along the route. Our outreach group is in the process of setting up that schedule now,” said Wheatley. Several Amherst residents received letters from the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. about the proposed project, detailing the expansion into New Hampshire to serve the growing demand for interstate natural gas transmission service. “The New England region, as a whole, stands to benefit from the (Northeast Energy Direct) project as it will enable New England to sustain its reliance on natural gas-fired generation, and to lower energy costs by providing scalable transportation capacity attached to lower cost, near-by domestic natural gas,” states the letter. It goes on to say that the project will provide regional confidence in competitively priced natural gas supplies by providing stability in a critical fuel source. While the letter describes the project as a “federal undertaking that is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,” McCool argued that the pipeline proposal is a “private, for profit undertaking” that will eventually require federal approval. The Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. plans to meet with affected landowners starting in January to discuss survey needs and other details associated with the project, according to town officials. In addition, Kinder Morgan intends to hold open houses in January and February about the pipeline efforts, and public meetings will be held at both the state and federal levels, said selectmen. “This is more than just an Amherst issue,” said Brew, explaining many communities are dealing with the matter. Wheatley agreed, stressing it is Kinder Morgan’s goal to be as transparent and candid as possible with the public. “Admittedly, everyone does not like the pipeline project in the area, but we want to do this in a way that we are in compliance with all of the regulations, and make sure that as we go forward with outreach that the citizens of New Hampshire have ample opportunity to meet with our representatives and understand more about the project itself and how it will be put into place,” said Wheatley. On Monday, the Nashua Regional Planning Commission released an email stating that it plans to form a policy subcommittee to coordinate between municipalities that will examine the overall policy implications of the pipeline project. khoughton@newstote
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 10:17:09 +0000
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