Hassan: Opposes proposed pipeline
Quote: “Over the past few months, I have heard from many communities and individuals along the proposed route with a number of safety, environmental, economic, and health questions and concerns. To address these issues, I request that FERC, or the Company, as part of the D E I S process, provide detailed responses to the concerns and questions of New Hampshire residents.”
That’s part of what Governor Margaret Wood Hassan had to say in a letter she sent to federal authorities opposing the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline that would cut through several communities in the state’s Southern Tier.
Among the concerns Hassan identified from New Hampshire residents and municipalities are:
- Potential impacts on the region’s water supplies, water quality, and water supply infrastructure.
- Potential air quality and emissions impacts, as well as concerns about noise and the size of the proposed compressor station.
- Potential safety issues and how the company will work with rural communities to enhance emergency response capabilities.
- Concerns that the project is not needed in New Hampshire, and that any regional benefits will not outweigh the impact on the communities along the proposed route.
- Concerns that this natural gas will be exported to other nations.
In addition to requiring the company to address the questions above, Governor Hassan requested that FERC staff consider all potential viable alternatives to the proposed route.
Belanger: Backpacks, sneakers needed
As summer comes to a close and the new school year is arriving, the Kids’ Closet is asking for help in their efforts to support Manchester students. They are looking for backpacks and sneaker donations for elementary age students. Backpacks, and sneakers either new or gently used sizes 10, 11,12, and 1 through 6, can be dropped off at the Allstate Office at 1 1 8 1 Hanover Street. Business hours there are Monday through Thursday 9 to 6 and Friday from 9 to 5. Kids’ Closet founder DeLorie Belanger thanks you so very much, in advance, for helping Manchester teachers to meet the many needs of the city’s students!
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Quote:
Arnold: Hammers “outside” support.
“It’s not surprising that Mayor Gatsas has to rely on out-of-town interests to get support — just like he does with his fundraising. They remember that Mayor Gatsas only squeaked by when I ran against him in 2013. Attacks from his out-of-town cronies reinforce how little support he has here in Manchester. It’s merely the last gasp of a dying campaign.”
That’s what mayoral candidate Patrick Arnold had to say after New Hampshire Republican State Committee Chairman Jennifer Horn issued a statement hammering Arnold and rival candidate Ward One Alderman Joyce Craig for quote “opening the door to overriding the Manchester tax cap with promises to raise pay for city unions”.
Horn said Arnold and Craig were quote
“desperate to outdo each other in their attempt to gain the support of Manchester union bosses and special interest groups. By irresponsibly promising pay raises to city unions, Craig and Arnold are either prepared to override the tax cap or slash funding for public safety at a time when New Hampshire’s heroin epidemic is hitting Manchester particularly hard. Missing from Craig’s and Arnold’s reckless promises to raise union salaries is any plan to pay for it. Their tacit admission of support for overriding the tax cap would devastate Manchester’s economy and further burden working families.”
We’ll see if Arnold tells the New Hampshire Democratic Party to keep its press releases and other support in Concord if he wins the primary. Anyway, Craig, once again, did not respond to our request for comment.
Pillar Manors: Ordinance would provide exception from onerous regulation
Not a whole lot happening this week at City Hall. The Committee on Administration will meet tonight. On the agenda is an amendment to the city’s Housing Code Ordinance that would give the Board of Mayor and Aldermen the ability to grant exceptions to the code for historic properties located outside the city’s Historic District. The issue came about after Housing Code inspectors from the Department of Planning and Community Development required the owner of the Pillar Manors on Hanover Street to obtain storm windows after not having required them for decades. The owner protested the sudden imposition of the requirement, saying it would cost her over one hundred thousand dollars to comply and that the storms would damage not only the building’s aesthetics, but also the window sashes themselves. Facing a legal action, the committee instructed department officials to draft provisions to enable the exceptions for special cases.
Chairman Connors: Information free agenda
Also tonight, the Board of School Committee’s Curriculum and Instruction Committee will meet at City Hall. I’d like to give some details about the agenda, but all it has listed are discussions on treating band as a lab and providing kids one half a credit for marching in parades and performing in concerts. There’s also a discussion about raising awareness of the elementary music program and an update on the K through Twelve guidance curriculum. Not really sure what that is as there’s no supporting documentation for that on the agenda, or anything else for that matter.
Metzler: Gets lucky
A judge has denied the request of the towns of Sandown and Danville for a preliminary injunction to block the Timberlane Regional School District from converting the Sandown Central Elementary School into a districtwide special education facility that will also house Kindergarten students from Sandown. The judge said the towns’ case is not likely to succeed on the merits, but asked all parties for additional briefings. Interestingly, the issue at hand for the judge is whether or not the towns’ boards of selectmen have standing to sue on behalf of either themselves or their taxpayers despite Timberlane’s defunding the school’s operations, voting to close it and the failure of two warrant articles to restore funding to keep it open. Frankly folks, I’m not sure how to get my head around that one. Nonetheless, Superintendent Earl Metzler seems to have gotten away with his damn the torpedoes decision to begin the consolidation process before the court issued its ruling. Just can’t make this stuff up.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next!
