AMC Opposes Northern Pass Project in New Hampshire
The Appalachian Mountain Club opposes the Northern Pass project in New Hampshire, which will run through the White Mountain National Forest and impact the Appalachian Trail. AMC is working with partners to raise concern about the visual, environmental, and economic impacts of the project.
Latest News: On December 14, 2012, AMC filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that included over 2,000 AMC member and supporter signatures; the petition encourages a visual impact analysis be included in DOE's Environmental Impact Study. If you did not get a chance to sign our petition, you may still submit comments on the proposed Northern Pass transmission line.
What is Northern Pass?
A high-voltage electric transmission line traversing 180 miles through New Hampshire to bring hydropower from Quebec to the New England electric grid.
A transmission corridor requiring more than 40 miles of new right of way (ROW), and significant expansion of existing ROWs in the North Country, running through the Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge and 10 miles of the White Mountain National Forest.
A project requiring tower structures up to 135 feet high and ROWs up to 410 feet wide, cutting a swath through some of New Hampshire’s most scenic landscapes, and degrading natural and recreation resources of state, regional, and national significance. See findings of AMC’s visual impact analysis >>
Why does AMC oppose the project as proposed?
Impact on public lands: We cannot stand by while resources we have worked to protect, such as the White Mountain National Forest and Franconia Notch, that are enjoyed by millions each year, are compromised by infrastructure that degrades the resource one project at a time.
Environmental impact: the power source is not "green" as advertised:
requires massive hydro impoundments in Quebec, the five largest of which would be the equivalent of flooding 50% of NH alone, and which would not meet US environmental standards; inundation of those boreal forest lands produces greenhouse gas emissions and releases mercury.
diverts multiple large rivers, most larger than any river in New Hampshire, with devastating impacts on hundreds of miles of river ecosystems.
Failure to consider alternative designs: the project Applicant has not considered important alternative routes or transmission technologies (like burying the power lines) and minimal substantive data underlying project assumptions has been made available to the public.
Lack of community support: the transmission line would pass through 31 New Hampshire communities, 28 of which have voted to oppose the project.
What has AMC done?
AMC has filed a motion to intervene in the permitting process and has detailed its opposition to the project as proposed in its filing with the Department of Energy.
AMC has filed a visual impact analysis with the Department of Energy demonstrating potential visual impact on public resources of state and national significance.
AMC is working with partners to raise public awareness of the negative impacts of this project.
What should you do?
Learn about how this project may impact places and resources you care about.
Get involved in the public process around permitting for the project.
