Category: Uncategorized

Eversource wants to run transmission cables we don’t need through Little Bay. If approved this project will stir up decades of nasty chemicals that have settled in on the bottom of the bay. This upcoming public comment hearing will be one of the last chances we have to stop the project from going forward.

If enough people sign up to speak at the hearing more public comment hearings will be scheduled. This helps delay the process and makes the project more expensive for Eversource To sign up email pamela.monroe@sec.nh.gov. and include your name, the city or town where you live, your position on the proposed project, and whether you require any special accommodations or if you have a particular request or limitation regarding the schedule.

More information on the project from frontline fighters:

Eversource wants to replace the standard wood poles in Durham, not used since the 1990s, with a new 115 kV transmission line on huge ‘weathering’ metal poles (rust-colored) three times taller than the poles there now. The poles will be taller than the trees because the easement through Durham is narrow. The lines will follow the railroad track from Madbury through UNH to the Mill Road substation on the north side of Mill Road by the bridge over the railroad track.

The two 100 foot poles next to Mill Road will be on the north and south sides of Mill Road by that railroad bridge. The line will follow the tracks south through Foss Farm to the Bennett Road substation where it turns east, paralleling the north side of Bennett Road through the Beaudet and Moriarty Farms conservation land to the Moriarty farmhouse on the north corner of Bennett Road and Newmarket Road. From there it continues east, crossing Newmarket Road, Timber Brook Lane, Cutts Road, Ffrost Drive and Sandy Brook Road. Then it continues east through the conservation land north of Longmarsh Road, crossing the town-owned Langmaid Farm, until it almost hits Durham Point Road. There it turns southeast, crossing the east end of Longmarsh Road, then Durham Point Road further south between the Gsottschneider and Hoffman houses. At Durham Point Road the east pole is 103 feet high and visible from this designated Scenic Road, then the line crosses the field opposite the Hoffman house and reaches Little Bay between the Getchell and Miller houses, close to the bald eagle nest. http://littlebaybaldeagles.weebly.com/

At the shore the transmission line goes underground. Eversource plans to jet plow (power blast with a high pressure water jet attached to a large triangular grapnel) 3 trenches 42” deep in the floor of Little Bay for 3 separate cables; this will require jet plowing three times across the floor of Little Bay. After the cable is laid in Little Bay there will be 3 sets of 25 large concrete slabs laid on the mudflats on each side of the bay to cover the cable for 200 feet out from the shore. These overlapping slabs will be visible, each slab weighs 6,000 pounds.

The electric line easement through town is 100 feet wide but the trees have grown in, because the lines were dead and the power company did not bother to maintain the easement. Eversource plans to clear cut the full 100 foot width, cutting back 20-30 feet of trees on both margins of the easement. Some transmission line poles will be a double-H type, but most poles will look like the pole shown below, except taller by 20 to 30 feet. Heavy equipment will be used on town roads and all over the easement corridor including cement trucks, mobile cranes, flatbed tractor trailers, metal-tracked stone drilling rigs, dump trucks and mechanized tree felling and log hauling equipment. The DES Alteration of Terrain Permit application filed by Eversource shows 1,100 cubic yards of bedrock will be blasted and removed.

The Durham Historic Association effort has been focused on preservation of the historic resources crossed by the easement, including 66 stone walls, the Smart-Pinkham-Mathes granite quarries, 2 cellar holes, 4 burial sites, 2 Class VI town roads dating from the 1680s, and the 10 foot granite slab bench used by workers at the quarry.

We need all residents to speak out against this project at the official public hearing at Pease Tradeport on October 11th from 4 pm to 7 pm. This when the Site Evaluation Committee (who decides whether to issue the permit Eversource needs) will find out what the residents of Durham think about this proposed high voltage transmission line. If the public input is weak, the Committee will think the people of Durham support this project. People who are willing to say something, even for just a few minutes, are needed. Sign up is needed because additional hearing dates will be scheduled if warranted (as happened for the Northern Pass project, which the Site Evaluation Committee rejected last February). Even people who cannot speak in public are needed to attend the hearing to show support for the people who are willing to speak out against these transmission lines. All electric lines now in town are low voltage distribution lines carrying electricity to houses. The Eversource plan is about a new high voltage Transmission line carrying electricity through Durham to somewhere else, ultimately to benefit greater Boston. The DHA and other official interveners cannot speak at this hearing – the Site Evaluation Committee wants to evaluate resident reaction to the proposed construction of transmission lines through Durham.

A typical 115 kV transmission line pole for the Merrimack Valley Reliability Project, built in 2017 through Pelham, Windham, Hudson and Londonderry. That utility easement is 350-550 feet wide and carries multiple transmission lines so residents did not care about the addition of one more transmission line – that section of their towns was already ruined.

On Sept 8th, thousands of communities around the world will rise for climate jobs and justice.  Only with enough pressure from people in the streets will our leaders commit to the climate action that we need. Our elected leaders in NH won’t act on their own.

​​Rise with us in Keene on Sept 8th for climate jobs and justice: Join us for a rally in Central Square at 11 Am followed by, Music (Jim Murphy’s Blue’s Band), Ice cream, Info booths, games for kids and more at Railroad Sq. This is part of a world-wide day of activism for Climate, Jobs, and Justice!!!​

What: Keene Rise for Climate

Where: Central Square

When: Sept 8th, 11:00-3:00

RSVP here

The event is hosted in collaboration with Sierra Club, MPA Clean Energy Team, 350NH, Mom’s Clean Air Force, Citizens Climate Lobby, Climate Action NH, The People’s Climate Movement and 350.org national.  share the event on facebook​!

On September 8, thousands of groups are planning rallies in cities and towns around the world to demand our local leaders commit to building a fossil free world that puts people and justice before profits.

Join us in Portsmouth to hear the story of two futures. The future where the fossil fuel industry maintains its grip on our economy and our democracy and the future where we build a broad coalition of groups that stop climate change and create millions of jobs by transitioning to renewable energy.

No more stalling, no more delays: it’s time for a fast and fair transition to 100% renewable energy for all.

What: Portsmouth Rise for Climate

Where: Market Square Portsmouth, NH

When: Sept 8th, 10:00-12:00

Email griffin@350nh.org with questions.

Join us for Solar 101 with local experts and a deeper look at the systemic issues standing in the way of energy democracy and a transition to renewables in NH.  Pizza will be served!

Climate change is happening now and people around the world are paying the price.  We know that we need to transition to renewable energy to avoid catastrophic climate change but the fossil fuel industry and their stranglehold on our political system stand in the way.

Join us for a discussion on Energy Democracy and for a deeper look into solar energy, the solution happening here and now in NH.  What are the ways in which our government is holding us back, and what are green businesses like ReVision and nonprofits like 350NH doing to create systemic change?

Find out what makes your home a good site for solar panels, how much these systems cost, and what you can expect for a return on investment. How do hot water systems, efficient electric heating, and battery storage work, and could they be right for you?

• Where: 350NH Dover Coworking Space-1 Washington St Suite #320
• When: Thursday June 28th from 5:00-7:00
• What: Solar 101 and Energy Democracy in NH

Check out the Facebook event here!

Hi, my name is Dylan and if you’re reading this, I’ll bet that we have something in common: we both have a lot to lose if we don’t address climate change. My generation has no choice but to combat the inevitable impacts of rising sea levels, increased storm surges and threats to our agricultural systems. I fear that the current immigration crisis will continue to intensify as people are driven from their homes, while global conflicts escalate over resource scarcity.

As the son of young parents, I spent a lot of time with my grandmother growing up and she taught me that we, as residents of this planet, have an obligation to preserve it. As a lifetime steward of the environment, my grandmother instilled within me the values and importance of conserving our earth. I spent countless hours at the Massachusetts Audubon Society, learning wilderness skills from both of my grandparents and hearing stories of the great experiences they have had throughout their lives. These lessons created the spark that propelled me into the line of work I find myself in today.

While at the the University of New Hampshire, I began taking courses on renewable energy, sustainability and public policy. It was in one of these classes where I first heard about 350NH and signed on as a volunteer for their offshore wind campaign. After working with them to bring clean, renewable wind energy to NH, I asked about summer internship opportunities and now find myself working on challenging and important issues around the state of New Hampshire.

As a young person, issues such as climate change, the deployment of renewable energy and promoting responsible and passionate leaders who will serve the people, instead of the fossil fuel industry, are important to me. I decided to work with 350NH in order to put these values into action. As we live in a relatively secure society here in the United States, I understand why it is easy to feel apathetic about these issues. Although our way of life may not be threatened by the impacts of climate change as rapidly as in other places, such as Puerto Rico or an island in the South Pacific, it is only a matter of time before we see and feel the impacts of climate change here at home. Lyme ticks, rising tides, and increasingly volatile weather are some of the ways that our community here in NH is already feeling the impacts of climate change. Our society has immense privilege and wealth and we are lucky to have the infrastructure to mitigate the impacts of climate change, but we are also the ones causing the problem. With our unique platform here, in the land of the free, we have the power to make real change for us and for the world.

During my time as an intern here, we have worked with communities to educate and raise awareness about issues that will have effects on our state for years to come. These include the construction of irresponsible fossil fuel infrastructure projects, such as the Granite Bridge pipeline, engaging in discussion with congressional and gubernatorial candidates about important issues in New Hampshire, working to bring offshore wind energy to the Gulf of Maine and more. We do this work through trainings, educational events, rallies, work with town governments, art creation, peaceful direct action and more.

Although we work on serious and important issues at 350NH, the communities we work and live in, the folks who volunteer with us and the many people in New Hampshire who believe in a better future, bring a unique and hopeful spirit to the work that we do. We welcome anyone who is interested to volunteer with us to fight for climate justice*.

We can make great change through community action, but it is the ideas and values of the individuals that bring strength to the community.

Dylan Reed, 350NH Summer Intern

Photo by Josué Rivas Fotographer[/caption]

Let’s be clear, even though this is a climate justice issue, this is not the reason that we stand in solidarity with Standing Rock. We stand in solidarity for the sacred lives and land of our indigenous brothers and sisters. The war against indigenous peoples, a war that began since first contact, has resulted in the stealing and colonization of indigenous land and the erasure of indigenous culture and peoples. The conditions of this war, of our anti-indigenous society and the erasure of indigenous people, allow corporate power and greed to rule here at home and around the world. As a result of this war, the most dangerous energy projects with significant health and environmental impacts have been developed on stolen indigenous lands or near marginalized communities. While this is an issue that impacts and should concern all of us, we must not forget who is leading this fight and why.

The patterns of exploitation, state violence, oppression, resource extraction, and domination over indigenous people and their land have long been documented in our history books and traditions around this time of year. But this isn’t history, this is happening now and on our watch. What will our grandchildren say about us 20, 50, 100 years from now, and what will their history books say about how we treated each other and our planet? Indigenous people often pay the greatest price when the landscape is developed for the benefit of the world’s industrial economy and to support dominant white culture and way of life. How can we organize to disrupt these historical patterns and shift our culture to one that values the deep connections and relationships that we hold with each other and the land rather than this endless need for development and growth?

First and foremost to support our brothers and sisters at Standing Rock, we need to understand who and what this struggle is about. There are many reasons to resist the Dakota Access Pipeline, including the fact that we shouldn’t be investing in fossil fuel infrastructure, or accelerating the impacts of climate change, or sacrificing our clean water and other natural

resources especially as we are experiencing some of the most extreme weather events and episodes of drought in our lifetimes. What could be more critical than protecting and securing these life-giving resources? For all of us across the country and the world, it is about all of these things and the questions of our survival and about what kind of livable planet, if any, we will leave to future generations.

And while this struggle is an indigenous peoples’ struggle, it is also our struggle. From the Standing Rock Sioux Nation in North Dakota to here in NH, oil and natural pipelines across the United States and around the world serve as physical reminders of white supremacy, colonialism, and continued environmental racism, and pipelines perpetuate our climate crisis driven by 200 years of an extractive fossil fuel economy. Recently some of our local community groups, like NH Pipeline Awareness in the Monadnock region, successfully resisted Kinder Morgan in developing a pipeline route in our state. And the same struggle is taking place across our region, including in West Roxbury, MA where groups such as  Resist the Pipeline are using nonviolent disobedience to stand in resistance with the residents whose health and safety has been jeopardized by this project.

You can imagine why it matters where the pipeline is routed- in many instances these projects degrade the local environment, negatively impact residents’ health, pollute local water sources, and lower property values, and they carry the risk of dangerous and extensive leaks, even explosions. So guess who gets to pay the price for this dangerous and extractive infrastructure and have it built in their backyards or on their sacred lands? Economically and politically marginalized communities, often times indigenous, low-income or communities of color, and this pattern has played out over the course of history as well, whether it’s coal-fired power plants, or waste incinerators, or chemical production facilities. Chances are for many of us, our water source, health, and life will never be compromised in the name of progress and the need for domestic energy sources or the need to build the local economy, but the day-to-day reality for many members of our communities is quite different. And in the case of Standing Rock, this pipeline was redirected from an area where it was most likely to impact white people.

This is why I stand in solidarity with Standing Rock and groups like 350NH and 350.org who realize this struggle is first and foremost about those who have borne the burden for too long and support the community groups and individuals at the center of these struggles. Indigenous people and all people are more than the sum of their oppression from colonialism and the fossil fuel industry. Those who have been most directly impacted must and will lead our movements for self determination and climate, economic, and racial justice, and they also hold the solutions.This is why we stand in solidarity first and foremost with the Sioux Tribe and all indigenous peoples as they lay down their bodies for their right to life and one of our most critical life-giving resources. This is also why 350.org recently endorsed the The Movement for Black Lives Platform, and why we fight for the new world it demands.Waking up today to the results that Trump will be the 45th President of the United States, we must stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Standing Rock as they lead the efforts to stop the DAPL, protect water, and ensure the self determination

of all indigenous peoples in the US and everywhere. For too long our government and companies have waged an attack on indigenous peoples, communities of color and our planet. We can only move forward if we recognize and disrupt these long-accepted patterns. To do so, we can only support energy policies that acknowledge and remedy the historic and ongoing social and environmental costs of the current extractive energy system on Indigenous peoples, communities of color, workers, low-income communities, and the environment. We must reparate the damage and harm that we have caused by returning land and redistributing stolen resources. We must resist against the patterns of history and our broken political system and organize to build solutions and move into a new world that is rooted in the values of  regeneration, resilience, cooperation, deep  democracy, and love for all peoples and our planet. And now, more than ever, we ask you to please join us.

Standing Rock, we see you, and we stand with you.

In solidarity from NH,

Jennifer Near

350 NH Board Member

ACTION STEPS IN SUPPORT OF STANDING ROCK

Here are some additional concrete things that you can do right now:

• Organize or get involved in a solidarity action in your community. You can go to this website to find the closest action.
• Contribute to the Sacred Stone Camp Legal Defense Fund.
• Contribute to the Sacred Stone Camp gofundme account.
• Donate to support the Standing Rock Sioux.
• Donate items from the Sacred Stone Camp Supply List.

• Join the NoDAPL Post Card Blitz.
• Call North Dakota governor Jack Dalrymple at 701-328-2200. When leaving a message, state your thoughts about this subject-please be professional.
• Sign the petition to the White House to Stop DAPL.
• Call the White House at (202) 456-1111 or (202) 456-1414. Tell President Obama to rescind the Army Corps of Engineers’ Permit for the Dakota Access Pipeline.
• Call the Army Corps of Engineers and demand that they reverse the permit: (202) 761-5903