Evidentiary Hearings
The Siting Board held evidentiary hearings on September 10th, 2024 in the above-referenced matter.
Note: The September 12, 2024 evidentiary hearing has been cancelled.
Public Comment Hearings
The Siting Board conducted three public comment hearings with both in person and remote participation options:
Wednesday April 10, 2024, at 1:00 PM
Athol Public Library Program Room
568 Main Street
Athol, MA 01331
Wednesday April 10, 2024, at 6:30 PM
Mount Wachusett Community College
North Cafeteria
444 Green Street
Gardner, MA 01440
Thursday April 11, 2024, at 6:30 PM
Fitchburg State University Lecture Hall
160 Pearl Street
Fitchburg MA 01420
Written Comments
The Siting Board also invited written comments on the Project. The deadline to submit written comments to the Siting Board was by Friday April 26, 2024.
Recording
A recording of the public comment hearing will be available on the Department’s YouTube channel after the hearing.
Notable Events: | Important Dates: |
---|---|
Public Comment Hearings | April 10 & 11, 2024 |
Deadline to File Written Comments | April 26, 2024 |
Deadline to file for intervention/limited participant status | April 26, 2024 |
Filing Instructions
Written comments on the Project, or a petition to intervene or participate as a limited participant in this proceeding, must be filed in two places:
First, the comments or petition must be sent to the Siting Board by email - to dpu.efiling@mass.gov - AND to Connor.C.Tarr@mass.gov - no later than the close of business on April 26, 2024. The text of the e-mail must specify: (1) the docket number of the proceeding (EFSB 23-02/D.P.U. 23‑45); (2) the name of the person or entity submitting the filing; and (3) a brief description of the document. The email should also include the name, title, and telephone number of a person to contact in the event of questions about the filing.
Second, the comments or petition must be sent by email to counsel for the Company, Catherine J. Keuthen, Esq. at ckeuthen@keeganwerlin.com and David Waterfall, Esq. at David.Waterfall@nationalgrid.com.
Intervention and Participation
Persons or groups who wish to be involved in the Siting Board proceeding, beyond providing comments at the public comment hearing or submitting written comments, may seek either to intervene as a party or to participate as a limited participant. A petition to intervene or participate must also be filed no later than April 26, 2024, and follow the instructions provided below.
“Intervenor" or “Party” Status: An intervenor can participate fully in the evidentiary phase of the proceeding, including the right to participate in evidentiary hearings, file a brief and present comments to the Siting Board on the Tentative Decision, and to appeal a 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.
Any person seeking intervenor or limited participant status in this proceeding must file April 26, 2024. A petition to intervene must demonstrate that the petitioner may be substantially and specifically affected by this proceeding. See below for filing instructions. For more information on the Siting Board’s procedural rules, please see the following link.
Project Description
The Company manages a transmission corridor (“ROW”) containing existing transmission lines (officially known as the A1 and B2 transmission lines) that extends about 53 miles, beginning in Vernon, Vermont, then running through a small part of New Hampshire and into Warwick, Massachusetts. The ROW then continues through Royalston, Winchendon, Gardner, Westminster, Fitchburg, Leominster, and terminates at the Pratts Junction Substation, in Sterling Massachusetts. For the Massachusetts part of the ROW (about 47 miles long), the Company proposes to replace the lines and transmission structures that are holding up the lines (“Replacement Transmission Line”). The Company also proposes to replace two smaller transmission lines and associated structures that feed into the corridor: (1) a line beginning in Athol that connects to the corridor in neighboring Royalston; and (2) a line beginning and connecting in Gardner (“Replacement Taps”). Once the Replacement Transmission Line, Replacement Taps, and structures are constructed (collectively “Replacement Line”), National Grid will remove the old lines and structures. Examples of the existing structures and their replacements are available by clicking here.
The Company maintains that the Project is needed so that the Company can continue to: (1) meet regional demands for a reliable supply of electricity; and (2) support connection of increasing amounts of renewable energy in central and western Massachusetts, consistent with the Commonwealth’s and region’s carbon reduction targets. The Company asserts that the existing lines, originally built in 1909, are nearing the end of their lifespan, resulting in greater risk of service loss and power outages.
Decision on the Project Proposal
The public comment hearing marks the beginning of an official, state-level decision-making process focused on whether the Project should be approved. The Siting Board will make the decision based on the following laws:
- Under G.L. (Massachusetts General Law) c.(chapter) 164, § (section) 69J, the Siting Board will review the Company’s proposed Project to determine whether the Project will provide a reliable energy supply with a minimum impact on the environment at the lowest possible cost.
- Under G.L. c. 164, § 72, the Siting Board will determine whether the proposed Project is necessary, serves the public convenience, and is consistent with the public interest.
Public Review of the Company’s Petition
The Company also maintains a webpage for the Project.
Hard copies of the Company’s petitions, including all attachments, are available for public inspection at the following locations:
Boston
- Energy Facilities Siting Board, One South Station, 3rd floor, Boston, MA 02110
Municipalities Directly Impacted
- Municipal/Clerk offices and main public libraries in Warwick, Royalston, Athol, Winchendon, Gardner, Westminster, Fitchburg, Leominster, and Sterling
Warwick: Athol: Gardner: Clerk Office Clerk Office Clerk Office 12 Athol Rd
Warwick, MA 01378
584 Main St Ste 10
Athol, MA 0133
95 Pleasant St Rm 121
Gardner, MA 01440
Library Library Library 4 Hotel Rd
Warwick, MA 01378
568 Main St
Athol, MA 01331
55 W Lynde St
Gardner, MA 01440
Royalston: | Winchendon: | Westminster: |
---|---|---|
Clerk Office | Clerk Office | Clerk Office |
5 School St Royalston, MA 01368 | 109 Front St Ste 3 Winchendon, MA 01475 | 11 South Street Westminster, MA 01473 |
Library | Library | Library |
19 On The Cmn. Royalston, MA 01368 | 50 Pleasant St Winchendon, MA 01475 | 118 Main St Westminster, MA 01473 |
Fitchburg: | Leominster: | Sterling: |
---|---|---|
Clerk Office | Clerk Office | Clerk Office |
166 Boulder Dr, Ste 108 Fitchburg, MA 01420 | 25 W Street Room 5 Leominster, MA 01453 | 1 Park St Sterling, MA 01564 |
Library | Library | Library |
610 Main St Fitchburg, MA 01420 | 30 West St Leominster, MA 01453 | 4 Meetinghouse Hill Rd Sterling, MA 01564 |
Contact
For further information about the proceeding, please contact the Presiding Officer at the address or telephone number below:
Connor C. Tarr, Presiding Officer
Energy Facilities Siting Board
One South Station
Boston, MA 02110
Connor.C.Tarr@mass.gov
(617) 305-3596
Accommodation Requests
Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities (e.g., Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format) are available upon request. Include a complete description of the accommodation you will need and a way we can contact you if we need more information. Please provide as much advance notice as possible. Last minute requests will be accepted, but we may be unable to fulfill the request. Please contact the Department’s ADA coordinator at Andrea.R.Casul@mass.gov.
Non-discrimination Notice
The EFSB does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, income, ethnicity, class, handicap, religious creed or belief, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, English language proficiency or ancestry in administration of its programs or activities. See the EFSB’s Non-Discrimination Notice.
Useful Information
DPU Public Workshop: Solar and Distributed Generation in Massachusetts
Electric Sector Modernization Plan Resources
For more detailed information on the Siting process: Energy Facilities Siting Board Handbook (updated 2019) | Guía para fijar la ubicación de instalaciones energéticas (2019)