Voter Guide to NH State Senate Primaries (Sept. 9, 2014)

Recent Published Statements on Northern Pass by Candidates in Primary Races for NH State Senate, September 9, 2014*

(For incumbents, "yea" or "nay" vote on HB569, "burial bill," 5/15/2014, is noted)

 

 

District 1. Republican Mark Evans v. Dolly McPhaul (write-in). Jeff Woodburn (D) incumbent.

 

- Mark Evans, Berlin, Republican [listed candidate, Republican primary, Sept. 9]

Northern Pass in its current form will place a scar on the land we depend on, harm our economy, and offer virtually nothing in return. As your next Senator I will oppose this project.

 

- Dolly McPhaul, Sugar Hill, Republican [write-in candidate, Republican primary, Sept. 9]

I am absolutely opposed to the Northern Pass, but will compromise and accept TOTAL burial. Total burial only... NO partial burial. That is the extent to which I will compromise; partial burial is not an option. Burial should be along existing roadways and railroad beds with the New Hampshire state government earning the lease money revenues.

 

There is no reason the good people of New Hampshire should have to sacrifice, in any way, to enable Public Service of New Hampshire and Northeast Utilities an increase in revenue. Property value loss has already affected many landowners. Tower and transmission line placement next to many buildings, including the Profile Junior Senior High School in Bethlehem, NH is a potentially horrifying health hazard our children and teachers should not have to endure. The loss of tourism and second homeowners has the possibility of destroying our already fragile economy. Our spectacular natural beauty must not be sacrificed for any reason, especially for a company whose only goal is increased profits. We must protect our beauty for the generations to come.

 

The Northern Pass is a unnecessary transmission line project that offers no real benefit to New Hampshire. It must be stopped.

 

 - Jeff Woodburn, Dalton, Democrat, incumbent, elected in 2012 [yea on 569]

 

I’m against the proposed Northern Pass. I’ve been a leader in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and in the North Country personalizing this issue for state leaders.  I sponsored and/or co-sponsored all the anti-Northern Pass legislation introduced during the 2013-14 legislative session.  I have said again and again -- that for this project to win the support of the people it must provide a local say and a local benefit. To date, PSNH has fallen short on both counts. I have encouraged PSNH to present a reasonable proposal that protects our beautiful, inspiring landscapes and provides tangible benefits to our struggling communities and working families.   This is the ideal and will continue to guide my votes on these matters.  I promised the people to work with everyone, be practical, independent and get things done for the North Country. That’s what I’ve done and that’s what I’ll continue to do.

 

Source: Sugar Hill Tower Opponents survey.

Senator Woodburn, Guest Commentary ("North Country Energy Challenges"), July 18, 2014.

Senator Woodburn, Colebrook Chronicle interview on Northern Pass, August 15, 2014.

Dolly McPhaul, Caledonian Record interview, August 25, 2014.
 

District 2. Republican  Jeanie Forrester (incumbent; yea on 569) v. Tim Condon

"Forrester, an early opponent of the Northern Pass, fought the project for years over its efforts to employ eminent domain, and remains strongly opposed, calling it 'effectively a big extension cord going through New Hampshire to go to Connecticut and Massachusetts.'

"Condon, on the other hand, has indicated that he backs the project, which calls for running new transmission lines through northern New Hampshire in order to carry Canadian hydropower to southern New England.

“'Energy is the lifeblood of a modern economy,' he wrote in a 2011 blog post about Northern Pass."

Source

District 8. Republican Jerry Little v. J.P. Marzullo

District 11. Republican Garry Daniels v. Daniel Dwyer v. Dan Hynes v. Maureen Mooney

District 12. Republican Kevin Avard v. Michael McCarthy

District 15. Democratic   Dan Feltes v. Kass Ardinger

∎ Feltes: “I think that (Gov. Maggie Hassan) has said something that is prudent, which is that it is still possible to get reliable hydropower from Quebec without sacrificing our tourism industry and without sacrificing our natural beauty.”
∎ Ardinger: “We have an over-reliance on one source of energy, which is natural gas. We experienced the price spikes last winter. That will only continue if we don’t diversify the source of electricity that goes into the New England grid.”
Source

James Pindell interviews Kass Ardinger (Northern Pass comments start at 05:50).

District 16. Republican  David Boutin (incumbent; nay on 569) v. Jane Cormier

Boutin did not answer  LFDA Question 8: "Do you support or oppose the Northern Pass project?"

District 18. Republican  Robyn N. Dunphy v. George Lambert

District 19. Republican  Regina Birdsell v. Jim Foley v. Frank Sapareto

District 21. Republican Dennis Lamare v. Peter Macdonald v. Phil Nazzaro

Macdonald: "I support the Northern Pass project as currently proposed." 2014 LFDA Questionnaire

District 24. Republican  Nancy Stiles (incumbent; nay on 569) v. Steve Kenda

Stiles: "I would consider supporting the Northern Pass project with appropriate modifications to the plan." 2014 LFDA Questionnaire

Kenda: "I would consider supporting the Northern Pass project with appropriate modifications to the plan." 2014 LFDA Questionnaire

   


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*Please send statements, with a link to their source, to us for inclusion. We reserve the right not to accept submissions.