Kuster Meets with Pelham Residents to Discuss Proposed Pipeline's Path

Press Release

On August 26, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) met with Pelham residents and toured the Peabody Town Forest in Pelham that could potentially be affected by the Northeast Energy Direct pipeline proposed by the energy company Kinder Morgan. Kuster has long fought for an open, transparent, and fair review process by the Federal Energy Regulatory Council (FERC), which will make the ultimate decision on whether the pipeline will move forward.

"I appreciated the opportunity to sit down with Pelham residents who are concerned about the proposed pipeline's path near their homes on Briarwood Lane, and during our conversations I heard from these residents and local town officials about their thoughts regarding the project," said Congresswoman Annie Kuster. "Like many of my constituents, I have questions and concerns regarding the Northeast Energy Direct Pipeline project, and I remain dedicated to hearing directly from my constituents throughout the process about how the pipeline will affect them. I will continue to fight to ensure that local residents and town officials have fair and ample opportunity to have their voices heard and will fight for their concerns to be addressed throughout this process."

During her tour yesterday afternoon, Congresswoman Kuster sat down with Pelham residents from Briarwood Lane, formerly known as Old Lawrence Road, where multiple houses and properties reside near the existing right-of-way for the power line where the pipeline is being proposed. Congresswoman Kuster also visited Peabody Town Forest, which abuts Briarwood Lane and could be impacted by the proposed pipeline route.

Along with the other members of New Hampshire's Congressional delegation, Kuster has a long history of calling on both FERC and Kinder Morgan to include affected communities in the planning and approval process of the pipeline. Although FERC will ultimately have the final say on whether the pipeline moves forward, the Congresswoman is continuing to voice the thoughts of her constituents to the agency, and she shares their concerns regarding the possible disruption to local communities and potential environmental impact. To ensure that constituents' voices are heard, the Congresswoman is urging FERC to schedule the Cheshire County scoping meeting for late September and for the preliminary comment deadline to be delayed. Congresswoman Kuster strongly believes we must pursue smart energy policies that make sense for New Hampshire, and she is continuing to urge both FERC and Kinder Morgan to demonstrate that the project can adequately benefit the Granite State without harming local communities or the environment.

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