Public Comment Hearing
The Siting Board will conduct two hybrid public comment hearings, both with in-person and remote participation options and both with free parking and public transportation access: Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. at the Chapman Middle School Theater 1051 Commercial St Weymouth, MA 02189 & Monday, March 31, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hingham Town Hall, Sangborn Auditorium 210 Central St Hingham, MA 02043.
Remote attendees: join by using this link from a computer, tablet, or smart device. For audio-only participation attendees can dial in at (646) 558-8656 (not a toll-free number) and then enter the Webinar ID: 817 6313 5360.
See additional comment instructions and Severe Weather Notification below.
At each public comment hearing, HMLP will present an overview of the Project. Public officials and members of the public will have an opportunity to ask questions and comment about the Project. The public comment hearings will be transcribed by a court reporter. Recording of the public comment hearings will be posted to the Siting Board’s YouTube channel after each hearing.
The public comment hearings mark the beginning of a formal, state-level decision-making process focused on whether to approve the Project. The Siting Board will do the following: 1) Pursuant to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 164, Section 69J (G.L. c. 164, § 69J), the Siting Board will review HMLP’s proposed Project to ensure that it will provide a reliable energy supply with a minimum impact on the environment at the lowest possible cost. 2) Pursuant to G.L. c. 40A, § 3, the Siting Board will determine whether to exempt the Project from zoning requirements of the Town of Hingham and the Town of Weymouth, based on whether the present or proposed use of the land or structures is reasonably necessary for the convenience or welfare of the public.
Link to the Full Notice can be accessed here. All docket filings can be found in the DPU Fileroom.
To provide oral comments during either public comment hearing (in person, on Zoom, or by telephone), notify Yonathan Mengesha at yonathan.mengesha@mass.gov or (617)-305-3544.
Please provide your name, email address, mailing address, and docket number (“EFSB 24-01”) by noon the day of the meeting. Pre-registered commenters will speak first and others will speak afterwards. The Siting Board also invites written comments on the Project. Written comments will be most useful to the Siting Board if submitted by Monday, April 14, 2025. Persons or groups who wish to be involved in the Siting Board proceeding (beyond providing comments at the public comment hearing or in writing) may seek to intervene as a party or to participate as a limited 2 participant. A petition to intervene or participate must be filed no later than Monday, April 14, 2025 and must follow the instructions below.
Important Dates
Severe Weather Notification and Alternative Dates
In the event of severe weather, the Siting Board may postpone either of the public comment hearings. Any postponement will be announced on the Siting Board’s Project website (accessible via the URL link or QR code at the top of this notice’s first page). If either hearing is postponed, it will be rescheduled for the alternative date of Monday, April 14, 2025, at the original location and the deadlines for submitting public comments and filing for intervention or limited participant status will be extended until Monday, April 28, 2025.
Project Information
HMLP asserts that the Project, which it projects to cost approximately $100 million, is needed to ensure reliable electric service to its approximately 10,500 metered HMLP customers, all within the Town of Hingham. Only two transmission lines, both overhead, now carry electricity into Hingham. The existing transmission lines are supported by both wood and metal structures, including 22 double-circuit towers or DCTs, where the two lines share the same single pole. HMLP contends that certain events could cause a simultaneous loss of power in both transmission lines that would cut off power to the entire town for an extended time.
HMLP’s proposed Project consists of (1) the New Tap Station on Broad Street in Weymouth, which Eversource would construct, own, and operate, to tap into an existing Eversource transmission line; (2) the approximately 3.2 mile-long 115 kV underground New Transmission Line, which HMLP would construct, own, and operate, that would run primarily along public ways in both Weymouth and Hingham, to transmit electricity to Hingham; and (3) the New Substation, which HMLP would also construct, own and operate, at the transfer station site off Old Hobart Street in Hingham to receive electricity and distribute it to HMLP’s customers. A description of each component and a map showing potential routes for the New Transmission Line and the locations of the New Tap Station and New Substation appear below.
New Tap Station (Weymouth): The New Tap Station is an open-air substation, and includes airinsulated switchgear, an electrical control enclosure, four 85-foot shielding masts, three electric overhead-to-underground transition structures, two 210-foot underground transmission interconnections between the existing lines and the New Tap Station, one tangent pole, fencing, and an additional parking area with a new access drive for vehicles. The New Tap Station would be located on approximately 2.5 acres of land owned by Eversource within an existing transmission corridor on Broad Street in Weymouth.
New Transmission Line: HMLP’s Preferred Route for the New Transmission Line, also referred to as the Broad Street Route, is an approximately 3.2-mile underground route primarily along public ways and streets. Starting at the New Tap Station, it runs east under Broad Street for approximately 9,300 feet, continues in the same direction where Broad Street becomes High Street at Commercial Street, turns north on French Street, and then turns east on Hobart Street until ending at the New Substation at the Hingham transfer station site. This route is shown in red on the map included in this Notice. As an alternative to the Preferred Route, HMLP has submitted a “Noticed Alternative Route,” the Lake Street Route, an approximately 3.7-mile underground route that starts at the New Tap Station, heads east on Broad Street, turns southeast onto Spring Street, and transitions into Essex Street, Lake Street, and the east-bound branch of Shawmut Street. The route turns south on Pleasant Street, makes a sharp turn to the north on Water Street, and then turns east on High Street. The route travels east on High Street into Hingham, turns north on French Street, then turns east on Hobart Street, and ends at the New Substation at the Hingham transfer station. HMLP’s Noticed Variation of its Noticed Alternative Route follows the same route out of the New Tap Station to Broad Street, Spring Street, Essex Street, and Lake Street. Instead of continuing east on Shawmut Street, the Noticed Variation goes north on Shawmut Street and turns east on Broad Street. The Noticed Variation rejoins the Noticed Alternative Route where Broad Street transitions into High Street. The Noticed Alternative Route and its Noticed Variation is in blue on the map included in this Notice.
New Substation (Hingham): HMLP proposes to locate the New Substation on an approximately 24,000 square-foot undeveloped area in the northeastern corner of the 9.7-acre Town of Hingham transfer station off Hobart Street and close to HMLP’s existing Hobart Substation. The New Substation would be enclosed, with structures, equipment, and site improvements, including new Gas-Insulated Switchgear (“GIS”)containing circuit breakers, electrical bus work, protection and communications equipment. The substation site would include fencing and a retaining wall. HMLP asserts that the New Substation site footprint is large enough to accommodate the future addition of a new transformer and new switchgear when they are needed to address load growth associated with electrification to meet the Town of Hingham’s and the Commonwealth’s climate goals. HMLP is not proposing to install a new transformer or new switchgear at this time.
Project Filing with EFSB
- Companies' Zoning Petition
- Companies' 69J Petition
- Companies' Analysis to Support Petitions (Part 2/Part 3)
- Resident Outreach Information
- Information on Project Need
- Route Selection Process
- Construction Description
- Description of Environmental Impacts
- Potential Air Impacts (Hingham Substation)
- Potential Air Impacts (Weymouth Tap Station)
- Description of Cost Impact of Project
- Environmental Justice Considerations
- Company Position on Global Warming Solutions Act Compliance
All documents related filed in relation to a proceeding are posted to the DPU Fileroom. The Fileroom page for a proceeding represents the official record for that proceeding. The public can access the Fileroom page for this proceeding at the following link:
Public Review of HMLP's Petitions
A detailed description of the Project, links to HMLP’s petitions, attachments and analysis, and periodic updates are electronically available on the Siting Board’s webpage for the Project (same as the URL link and the QR code at the top of this Notice’s first page). In addition, electronic copies of the petitions and attachments have been provided to the Town of Hingham and the Town of Weymouth. HMLP also maintains a webpage for the Project.
Hard copies of HMLP’s petitions and attachments are available for public inspection at the following locations: Boston ▪ Energy Facilities Siting Board, One South Station, 3rd floor, Boston, MA 02110 Hingham ▪ Hingham Town Clerk, Hingham Town Hall, 210 Central Street, Hingham, MA 02043 ▪ Hingham Public Library, 66 Leavitt Street, Hingham, MA 02043 3 Weymouth ▪ Weymouth Town Clerk, Weymouth Town Hall, 75 Middle Street, Weymouth, MA 02189 ▪ Tufts Library, 46 Broad Street, Weymouth, MA 02188 ▪ Fogg Library, 1 Columbian Street, South Weymouth, MA 02190
Intervention & Participation
Persons or groups who wish to participate in the Siting Board proceeding, beyond providing comments at the public comment hearings or submitting written comments, may seek to intervene as a party or to participate as a limited participant.
“Intervenor" or “Party” Status: An intervenor can participate fully in the evidentiary phase of the proceeding, including participating in discovery (information gathering), participating in evidentiary hearings, filing a brief, presenting comments to the Siting Board on the Tentative Decision, and appealing the Final Decision.
“Limited Participant” Status: A limited participant receives documents during the proceeding and may file a brief and present comments regarding the Tentative Decision to the Siting Board.
Instructions for Requesting to Participate in the Proceeding
Any person seeking to intervene as a party or to participate as a limited participant in this proceeding must file a request with the Siting Board by email or email attachment sent to the following five email addresses: dpu.efiling@mass.gov; Donna.Sharkey@mass.gov; Daniel.W.Keleher@mass.gov; RDS@duncanallen.com; and drosen@keeganwerlin.com. The filing deadline is April 14, 2025 (unless extended because of postponement of one of the public comment hearings, in which case the filing deadline is April 28, 2025).
The e-mail accompanying the request for limited participation or intervention must specify the following information: (1) the docket number of the proceeding (EFSB 24-01/D.P.U. 24-135); (2) the name of the person or entity submitting the request; (3) a brief description of the request; and (4) the name, title, and telephone number of a person to contact in the event of questions about the filing. In brief, a request for intervention must state and explain the way or ways in which the requester may be specifically and substantially affected by the Project; a limited participant request must describe the manner in which the petitioner is interested and the purpose for which participation is requested. For more information on the Siting Board’s procedural rules, please see the following link.
Accommodation Requests & Language Services Requests
Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities (e.g., Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format) are available upon request. To request an accommodation, please contact: Melixza Esenyie - Non-Discrimination Coordinator and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Human Resources, 9th Floor 100 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, eeadiversity@mass.gov, 617-626-1282.
In your communication, state the accommodations you need and why you need them. Provide contact information in case the Coordinator needs more information. Provide one week’s advance notice. The Coordinator will consider but may not be able to fulfill late requests. Language interpretation services are also available upon request to Yonathan Mengesha at (617)-305-3544 or yonathan.mengesha@mass.gov. Include in your request the language required and your contact information. To assist us in accommodating your request, please submit it as soon as possible, and at least seven days before the date of the public comment hearing.
Non-Discrimination Notice
The Energy Facilities Siting Board (“EFSB”) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, income, ethnicity, class, disability, religious creed or belief, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, English language proficiency or ancestry in administration of its programs or activities. See the Siting Board’s Non-Discrimination Notice at: EFSB Non-Discrimination Notice and Grievance Procedure | Mass.gov.
If you have any questions about this notice or any of the Siting Board’s non-discrimination programs, policies, or procedures or believe the Siting Board has discriminated against you, you may contact Melixza Esenyie (see above for contact information) for more information. See the Siting Board’s Non-Discrimination Notice at: EFSB Non-Discrimination Notice and Grievance Procedure | Mass.gov
Contact
For further information about intervention or participation in the proceeding, please contact the Co-Presiding Officers at the address or telephone number below:
Daniel Keleher
Co-Presiding Officer
Energy Facilities Siting Board One South Station Boston, MA 02110
Daniel.W.Keleher@mass.gov or (617)-305-3623
Donna Sharkey
Co-Presiding Officer
Energy Facilities Siting Board One South Station Boston, MA 02110
Donna.Sharkey@mass.gov or (617)-305-3625