CMP’s New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC), a 145-mile transmission line from Maine-Quebec border to Lewiston, is proposed to bring electricity to Massachusetts’ residents with no benefits to Maine’s rate payers. The Maine DEP and LUPC requested an independent review of the NECEC Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) in the site application.
The review, submitted on Aug. 20, 2018, lists many holes in NECEC’s VIA and suggests it was prepared in hast and lacks comprehensive information. James Palmer, of Scenic Quality Consultants in Burlington, Vermont, states, “I am concerned with what appears to have been a rushed preparation of this VIA. Based on the photographic inventory, the fieldwork began on May 24, 2017 and the final draft of the VIA was dated September 26, 2017. Four months is inadequate to do a VIA for a project of this size.”
53.5-miles of new transmission corridor from Beattie Township to The Forks would include a 150-foot corridor hosting 100-ft transmission line towers connecting to approximately 92 miles of existing corridor to Lewiston. Existing corridor would be cleared of additional vegetation and 100-ft towers to replace 40-ft towers. Palmer states, “very large projects, such as the NECEC, have the potential to degrade the whole landscape. While the visual impact at any particular scenic resource may be moderate, it is the extensiveness of the impact that can create concern.”
Palmer raised concerns about the accuracy and scope of the VIA prepared by Terrance J. DeWan Associates Landscape Architects and Planners of Yarmouth, which used the DeLorme Atlas and Gazeteer, a paper source. Palmer states, “for projects that will affect a large area, such as wind energy development or transmission lines, the analysis requires the use of GIS data that accurately locates and describes the project elements.”
Many locations along the entire corridor will impact the visual quality and scenic character. According to his analysis, the corridor will be visible from a minimum of 3 miles away at 2 National Natural Landmarks and other Natural and Cultural Features; 23 State or National Wildlife Refuges, Sanctuaries, or Preserves; 44 properties listed with National Register of Historic Preservation; 5 National and State Parks; 227 Public Natural Resources of Public Lands Visited; 36 Publicly Accessible Conservation Areas (not State/Federal Land); and 22 Cemeteries.
The independent review also reveals that CMP needs to provide additional information including visual and scenic character impacts on Maine’s Ecological Reserve System; Maine’s Beginning with Habitat Focus Areas; Federal, State, local, and NGO trails; all properties in National Register of Historic Places; and all units of National Park Service and Bureau of Parks and Lands need to be included, not just those with ‘park’ in their name. Palmer suggests the VIA needs to go beyond the scenic viewing while driving and assess the impact on public natural resources/lands visited by the general public off the road (i.e. hikers, snowmobilers, fisherman, recreational boaters). Palmer asserts that “NECEC’s visibility analysis was based on a “dummy” project; the only available information was a tentative centerline. There is no consideration of the existing structures to the cumulative visual impact. The screening heights appear to be guestimates of the average height for various land cover types and the land cover data are very old.”
Another focus of the NECEC proposal is the Kennebec River gorge crossing that will include an above-ground transmission line crossing with 12-18 FAA orange marker balls. The interruption of pristine and scenic landscape in all areas, like Kennebec River, a river identified as “A” or “Best” by the 1982 Maine Rivers Study, has a large potential to negatively impact recreational and commercial tourism in the surrounding communities. Palmer writes, “a large part of the motivation to go whitewater rafting is to ‘get away’ and for the ‘adventure.’ The industrial quality of the Harris Dam may not be a detriment to this motivation, rather it may be like experiencing the machinery that drives a roller coaster. Or maybe it is a reminder of what they want to escape—and then they start down the rapids and are carried away into the Gorge, which they see as ‘natural’ and ‘wild,’ perceptions that are enhanced by the contrast with their entrance at the Harris Dam. During the exhilaration of the Class III and IV rapids, there is little time to contemplate the scenery, all eyes are on the rocks and waves! They come to the relative calm below the rapids, and contemplate the experience and the beauty of this river. They ground the rafts at the best spot identified by the guides and have a look around while the guides prepare their picnic. In the future they will see the NECEC conductor wires and colored marker balls, which are early reminders of the industrial civilization they hoped to leave behind. One might say that this is the worst place for a crossing, because it pulls them out of their reverie before the trip is done.”
It is clear through the independent review that CMP has further investigation and data to include in their site location application to the Maine DEP and LUPC. Approving agencies for the NECEC proposal should also examine possible omissions in other aspects of the application (i.e. wildlife impacts, CO2 emission, tourism impact, resources needed for construction, etc.) and require CMP to provide accurate data that supports their claims. Palmer reports, “the VIA fails to consider the cumulative impact of the existing transmission line(s) and the NECEC to the affected scenic resources.” Since Maine currently produces more power than our state’s needs, there is no public need in Maine for NECEC. There is a large concern that NECEC is being billed as a for-profit venture for CMP/AVANGRID/Iberdola. To date, there have been no environmental organizations that have reported support of NECEC. Only organizations with a for-profit gain if NECEC is approved have submitted statements of support. NECEC has no benefits to Maine’s landscape, waterways, public lands, and environment.
Sandra Howard
Caratunk
Amen!
For more info or to join the fight visit:
http://www.corridorno.com
Try being honest about where the line will run. Just some points based on some observations.
* The land where the new line will run in Franklin and Somerset counties, the land is already 75% to 85% cleared from previous and current logging operations.
* The line will use single poles 100ft in height with a crossbar and will be gray in color.
* The line is never closer than 8 mi and 15 mi at the furthest from the AT
* It crosses above Kennebec Gorge to where it meets the existing line above East Moxie Township.
* The widening of the existing line and the width of the new line is based on the height of the trees surrounding the line so should they fall, they will pose no threat to the line.
Some benefits Maine gets out of the deal.
* $50 million from CMP to fund programs for low income families.
* $1.5 million to Franklin county in property taxes every year. and $16.5 million in property taxes for other areas.
* $73 million in wages per year.
* Acts as a jumping off point for broadband talks.
Great points hrtlss, all things mentioned in the article don’t seem to matter much to you, I assume you are more the couch or chair going type, time spent complaining about taxes and politics as I witness on most of your posts. Some of us who get out and about in the woods know what a bad deal this is. Whatever they are offering is not worth it, this is a permanent situation and those poles will still be there long after that money runs out.
I can’t believe any Mainer would support this, especially after the shady practices of late concerning CMP. Most people could care less if some power lines are created or widened. However most would also like to see Maine benefit, not Massachusetts. HB, we’re really tired of unsubstantiated numbers…..
Hrtlss, you sure drank the CMP koolaide.
The $50 million goes to MA residents, not to ME!
Also, the lines crosses the AT in multiple places. Look it up.
Third, CMP has not offered anything even close to the deal NH was offered (but still rejected). NH was offered all the property taxes plus another $500+ million, AND 50 miles of the line was to be underground.
https://www.pressherald.com/2018/05/24/new-hampshire-committee-rejects-appeal-for-northern-pass-power-line/
How about we have some respect for our state and get at least as good a deal as NH passed up?
Are we really such a cheap date that we just roll over and take it from any other state or multinational?
As one who has just rafted the Kennebec lately. I have seen the impact zone on the gorge, Mass. Accepted CMP’s route because it was the less expensive route. There are other routes but it may cost more for Mass. utilities. Both N,H and Vermont turned down this Line. They were both offered a significant amount of money but still refused it. Perhaps there is a warning in that,
Thank you Mike. Warning in that…
Except for a few dollars to local tax coffers, which would be just spent as new money and not used properly, this is not a good plan for Maine folks. The damage done building and maintaining this corridor to our forest, streams, rivers and wildlife would be catastrophic and not reversible.
Hrtlss-
I’m very curious about your figure of $73 million in wages annually. Previously the only job creation that was offered had been for building the corridor and towers, and CMP offered no assurances that they would be hiring Maine contractors for those. If there is different info available we’d like to know about it.