Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Public airs power line concerns

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 12:35:07 -0500

Public airs power line concerns

By Sally Applegate / Correspondent
Wednesday, February 11, 2004

State officials hear concerns over tree
cutting, radio interference

Georgetown residents met with officials of the
state Dept. of Telecommunications and
Energy Monday to present their views on the
requested doubling of power lines along a
1.6-mile corridor in town. Massachusetts
Electric is planning to install a second
23,000-volt power line on new poles next to the
existing 23,000-volt line from the King Street
substation to the Mill Street junction.

The new poles will be placed 12 to 20 feet
from the existing poles along the right-of-way,
and stand 38.5 feet tall. Senior electrical
Engineer Paul Burgess of Vanderweil
Engineers in Boston said the project should
take about eight to 10 weeks to complete,
would not require a large excavation and
would be a quiet operation utilizing small
equipment.

Resident Homer Tapin said he once worked
for Mass. Electric, and has walked the line in
question three times. He told the company
officials the original pole holes were dug by
hand around 1930, by one man who earned
$5 per hole.

"I know there's always a concern when people
put in a new power line, but there's a lot more concern when they lose power,
and
that's coming," Tapin said. "People want to know why they lost power, and how
long it's going to take to get it back."

Engineer Brian Hayduk of Narragansett Electric said he has been studying the
power line in the King Street areas since August 2003.

"We're reaching the limitations of these lines," Hayduk said. "The single line
splits
at the Mill Street junction and one line goes to Newburyport. We project that
line
will be overloaded by next summer. A second line will relieve the burden on that

line and reduce the number of customers [being served by one line]."

Pond Street resident Arthur Greenberg, whose land abuts the power line, asked
why the company couldn't rebuild the power lines completely, using new lines
with low radio interference. Greenberg said this has been done in the states of
Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Greenberg explained he operates a HAM radio
from his home.

Hearing officer M. Kathryn Sedor, Esq. Of the Dept. of Telecommunications and
Energy told Greenberg that "in many communities our power lines peacefully exist

on the same poles as police and fire lines."

When Greenberg suggested a single, heavier line be used on the existing line of
poles, Hayduk said 23,000 volts is the maximum size conductor National Grid can
use without going to a larger steel structure to carry the line.

"The load is to the point now where the load is too great," Hayduk said. He said

the state safety code calls for poles that are strong enough and short enough to

weather extremes like ice storms, lightning hits, wind storms, and extreme heat.

"There is a limit to what you can do with these poles. If that one pole comes
down,
you risk taking out both lines. That's why we want to use two separate poles."

Greenberg disagreed, and said there are ways to prop up the existing poles.

How many trees?

Resident Robert Hoover wanted to know how much tree cutting is planned for this
project and how the completed lines will look.

National Grid's Principal Environmental Engineer Paul Richards said there would
be only "a minimal difference in the views tomorrow from today." He said the
company will not know how many trees must be cut until the final number of new
poles is determined, but he estimated about 24 trees will be cut.

Hoover disagreed that the visual impact will be minimal, and asked if the
company would consider plantings that will grow only 10-15 feet high in the
areas
where the lines intersect roads, "to mitigate what's going on visually."
Richards
thanked him for the suggestion and agreed that was a possibility.

Greenberg said the right-of-way for the poles goes through his next-door
neighbor's yard and suggested this screening should run along the length of the
property next to his. He suggested that tree cutting will upset the protected
nest of
turtles and other animals in the project area.

Richards said the company hired a Hyla Ecological Services of Lincoln to study
the project's impact on endangered species.

"It's not always a negative," Richards said. "The four-toed salamander has
benefited from the cleared right-of-way. Some species benefit. There's a plus
and
a minus. Some species do very well."

Hoover asked when the company will have plans to show the public. National
Grid Sr. Arborist Guy Shepard said a landscape architect has been hired, and the

company welcomes comments from the public.

"When does the public get to see the plan?" Hoover persisted.

Richards told Hoover the staff will be taking comments and suggested Hoover jot
down his concerns and ideas, and submit them.

"When?" Hoover said. "Guess there is no when? I don't have time to go to Boston
or to write a memo." Sedor said public involvement is welcome.

Getting involved

"There is a role individuals like you could play in the process if you choose to
get
involved," Sedor said. "You could call a witness. The state's job is to weigh
the
decision [to put in this second set of poles and lines] ... We come out to the
community because we want to hear your issues." She mentioned that the state
will take note of Hoover's concerns over visual impact, and the concerns brought

forward by Greenberg.

Evidentiary hearings to be conducted in Boston have not yet been scheduled, but
Sedor encouraged concerned citizens to submit written comments by filing an
original and five copies of such comments in Boston by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17
with Mary L. Cottrell, Secretary, Dept. of Telecommunications and Energy, One
South Station, 2nd floor, Boston, MA 02110.

Sedor said a copy of such comments must also be filed with the counsel for
National Grid, Paige Graening, Esq., National Grid USA, 25 Research Drive,
Westborough, MA 01582.

Residents can also file petitions to intervene at the Westborough address, and
by
e-mail to [email-masked]. For more information on filing by Email, call

Media Manager Jackie Barry at 508-389-3298.

http://www.townonline.com/georgetown/news/local_regional/geo_newgrpowrlinemjp02112004.htm

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