Intervenor: Frac-Out water pollution possible drilling to bury Northern Pass line.
InDepthNH.org CONCORD — Construction of the Northern Pass Transmission line will significantly impact North Country residents’ way of life, intervenors told company officials on Wednesday.
Carl Lakes of Easton noted the horizontal drilling to place the transmission line under water bodies, wetlands or highways could cause a “frac-out” or blow-out that could pollute the water.
The vaults will be under some of the roads the line would follow but also in the road right-of-way and in some cases under private property if an easement is granted.
Bowes said that is true when the vault was outside of the road right-of-way and said the company would be willing to do the same, but noted some communities like Franconia have not responded to the company’s outreach in 18 months.
Lakes noted the construction would last over two construction seasons.
“That is a long time for construction in residential areas,” he said.
“Do you understand how that could be offensive to local residents for an extended period of time?” Lakes said.
The Site Evaluation Committee is expected to make a final decision in September and Eversource officials said it will take between two and three years to construct the project.
The adjudicate hearings are expected to continue into August.