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Kelley calls Laidlaw biomass
proposal a ‘great project for Berlin’
BY BARBARA TETREAULT
THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN — Local businessman Barry Kelley delivered a
persuasive argument for Laidlaw Energy’s biomass project
at Monday’s city council work session.
Covering everything from wood supply to local economic
impacts, Kelley questioned why the mayor and council
were not supporting a project that would create 40 jobs and
substantial tax revenue.
“I think it’s a great project for Berlin,” he said.
Kelley said the project would clean up the pulp mill site
further by converting the boiler to a 66-megawatt biomass
plant. He said there is construction debris and stuff buried
on the site. Kelley also stressed the biomass plant would
not create the noise or smell associated with the pulp mill.
If the Laidlaw project is not successful, Kelley said the
city could be left with the boiler just sitting on the site for
years. He noted the price for scrap metal has dropped 75
percent since North American Dismantling cleared most of
the mill property. NAD sold the boiler and 60 acres to Laidlaw
in a deal that was closed just before Christmas.
Kelley questioned why the city has chosen to support
the smaller 22 to 27 megawatt biomass project proposed
by Clean Power Development. He said that project would
employ fewer people and has indicated it would seek to
make a payment in lieu of property taxes.
Furthermore, he said Laidlaw already has its fi nancing
in place and has signed an agreement to sell the power produced
by the plant to Public Service of N.H. He said Clean
Power has neither of those steps completed.
“Public Service has given them their stamp of approval,”
Kelley said.
Kelley, who owns White Mountain Lumber, spent considerable
time addressing the wood supply issue. Clean Power
downsized their project over concerns about the availability
of affordable biomass. A study commissioned by Clean
Power estimated there would be 300,000 tons of biomass
available annually within a 30-mile radius of Berlin at
an affordable price. A study done for the state and North
Country Council estimated a range of 240,000 to 950,000
tons available annually with an average of 600,000 tons.
Laidlaw would use about 675,000 tons annually.
In the last six weeks, Kelley said the market for pulp wood
has changed dramatically. The price per ton has dropped
from $54 to $32 and wood buyers have set quotas for log-
gers because of oversupply.
Looking to the future, Kelley said
a number of mills in northern New
England are facing fi nancial pressure.
If another mill closes, that would
increase the low grade wood supply.
He pointed out the paper business is
cyclical and argued the Laidlaw plant
would create a steady market for low
grade wood.
Kelley also noted power production
is recession-proof and not subject to
foreign competition.
“You bring paper from China. You
bring paper from Indonesia. You don’t
bring energy from those areas,” he
said.
Converting the boiler to a biomass
plant would turn the mill site into a
catalyst for economic development,
Kelley said. He noted Laidlaw already
has a memorandum of understanding
to sell hot water to Fraser Paper’s Cascade
mill. He said Laidlaw would use
about 20 acres for its biomass operation
and would have 40 acres available
for other compatible businesses.
NAD has another 60 acres. With both
biomass and hydro power concentrated
on and abutting the milll site,
Kelley said Berlin could be a center
for renewable energy production.
“We will be the green machine of
New Hampshire,” Kelley argued.
The new jobs and added wood purchases
would stimulate the local economy
which he said would help local
merchants, including those on Main
Street.
Kelley was asked about the ability
of the transmission line in Coos
County to handle both the wind park
planned for the Phillips Brook area
and the Laidlaw plant. He said his
understanding is the line with some
upgrading could handle the 99-megawatt
wind farm and either the Laidlaw
or Clean Power plant. The wind farm,
proposed by Noble Environmental, is
ahead of both projects in the interconnection
queue. Noble has withdrawn
a second proposal for a 140-megawatt
plant from the queue.
A small crowd turned out for Kelley’s
presentation. Most appeared supportive
of the Laidlaw proposal although
Clean Power project manager Bill
Gabler was among the crowd.
Kelley concluded by recalling Berlin’s
long history as the city that trees
built and calling the boiler a testament
to that past.
“That’s not a monstrosity over
there. That’s a monument,” he said, to
applause from the crowd
Council wants
to hear from
Laidlaw
BY BARBARA TETREAULT
THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN — The message from
the mayor and city council was clear
- they want to hear from Laidlaw offi -
cials directly.
Mayor David Bertrand said he
couldn’t disagree with some of the
benefi ts outlined by businessman
Barry Kelley’s in his presentation on
the project to the city council Monday
night. Bertrand pointed out, however,
that the smaller Clean Power Development
project offered many of the
same benefi ts. He said there was a
difference of scale and location.
But the mayor and a majority of the
council questioned why Kelley was
making the case for the project and
not Laidlaw offi cials.
“I don’t know why we haven’t heard
from these people,” said Bertrand. <<--cause u suck!
“I just wish Laidlaw would step to the
foreground and let’s have some dialogue.”
Laidlaw President Michael Bartoszek
yesterday accepted the invitation.
“We look forward to the opportunity
to meet with the mayor and members
of the city government,” he said.
Members of the council said they
prefer the Clean Power project
because it would be located near the
city’s wastewater treatment plant
and not in the middle to the city.
Clean Power has meet with the
council on several occasions and has
a option on the land which is owned
by the city. The project is currently
before the planning board for site
plan review. Because the Laidlaw
project is over 30 megawatts its permitting
is handled by the state Site
Evaluation Committee.
Councilor Ronald Goudreau said
for him the issue is a matter of
vision. After years of being known
for the odor generated by the pulp
mill, he said Berlin has a chance
to get rid of the smokestack in the
downtown.
He said the majority of the council
was elected based on their opposition
to the Laidlaw project and most
people who approach him are still
opposed to converting the boiler to
a biomass plant.
Goudreau said he believes Laidlaw
will eventually seek to make
COUNCIL from page one a payment in lieu of taxes because
the law allows that.
Councilor Tim Donovan charged
that outside forces are promoting
the Laidlaw project. He said what
the company has proposed is not
in the best interests of the city
because of the location.
Bertrand questioned why the
deed to the boiler and 60 acres is
in the name of a holding company,
PJPD Holdings, LLC., and not
Laidlaw.
Bartoszek yesterday said “it is
common practice to form special
purpose entities such as limited
liability companies to hold deeds
as collateral where financing is
involved in a project of this type.
It is just part of our financing,” he
wrote in an e-mail response.
Bartoszek stressed that the plant
is Laidlaw’s project and his company
controls the site.
The deed filed at Coos Superior
Court contains $10,5000 in tax
stamps indicating a purchase price
for the real property of $700,000.
The Berlin City Council just amazes me
To the editor:
I am in favor of the Laidlaw
recovery boiler conversion
project, and most of the
people I know or have talked
to also support it.
It amazes me that the city
council can so callously turn
their collective backs on millions
of dollars in tax revenue,
on millions of dollars in
wages to support area families,
on millions of dollars
that will help support Berlin
area businesses, and on dollars
that will go to people
who will purchase and main-
tain housing - instead of letting them
rot, as is now the case.
It amazes me that the council is so
willing to do that without having any
concrete plan to generate an equivalent
amount of revenue in an equivalent
amount of time.
It amazes me that the council can
do that, and then throw a hissyfi t
- a childish temper tantrum - when
the school department manages
their money in a manner responsible
enough to generate a surplus.
It’s sad.
Nero fiddles......
Vaughn Roy
Berlin
Pledge to make biomass facility source of pride
To the editor:
To the Citizens of Berlin:
As many of you know,
Laidlaw Berlin BioPower,
LLC, has recently fi nalized
our purchase of the Burgess
Mill site and will soon begin
the conversion of the remaining
boiler into a state of the
art biomass energy facility.
We have worked very hard
over the past 27 months to
complete this complex and
challenging transaction. As
one of our city’s newest landowners,
we look forward to
working with city, state and
federal offi cials, the logging
community, the local workforce,
and anyone else that
wants to be part of pointing
the North Country in a
new economic direction. As
our nation weans itself from
expensive and unreliable
foreign fossil fuels, Berlin
will be at the forefront of the
shift toward renewable, environmentally–
friendly domestic
energy production.
In a time of great economic
uncertainty, this project
promises to drive economic
growth in the region for the
foreseeable future. Though
there will be little visible
change to the site over the
next year, we will be hard
at work procuring permits,
fi nalizing contracts for construction,
fuel supply and
power sales, and starting the
personnel interview process.
Upon the successful completion
of these necessary steps,
construction on this estimated
$100 million project
will begin. When the plant
is up and running, it will
have up to 40 full time direct
employees and purchase over
$25 million in wood chips
every year. Public Service of
New Hampshire has agreed
to purchase all the output for
20 years, guaranteeing that
the plant will operate and
provide employment and
opportunity for the region as
well as electricity to the citizens
of New Hampshire for
that entire time. This project
represents an unparalleled
opportunity for our company,
the City of Berlin, and the
North Country.
As we have stated in the
past, we pledge to make this
facility a source of pride to
the city. Over the next few
months, we intend to present
our project in much
greater detail and will invite
feedback so that together,
we can build a facility that
will serve as a model for the
emerging green economy. It
is our hope that the citizens
of the “City that Trees Built”
will welcome us as Berlin
continues its proud tradition
of creating economic
prosperity by combining the
talents of its work force with
the abundance of its natural
resources.
Michael B. Bartoszek
Raymond S. Kusche
Laidlaw Berlin
BioPower, LLC
As I cut my check for PSNH, I sit here smiling knowing that LLEG will put Berliners back to work and that in the near future my tax money will not be sent north to bail out a "new vision".
To the editor:
I have to agree that the
announcement that Laidlaw
has completed the purchase
of the Fraser Mill site in
Berlin from North American
Dismantling is indeed
a tragedy. Not just because
it’s an inappropriate use of
one of the most beautiful
locations in New England,
but mostly because it means
painful, costly delays before
the real rebuilding of Berlin
can begin.
As has been pointed out,
Laidlaw may be promising
new jobs, but their track
record doesn’t give one confi -
dence as to when the jobs will
actually be created. Instead,
in the meantime, this beautiful
spot will sit idle, with its
ugly fences saying to all the
world “keep out” – not just of
the riverfront acreage, but of
Berlin as a city.
I’ve argued all along, that
the key to the rebuilding of
the Coos County economy is
small businesses like mine,
rather than over-hyped
industrial plants like Laidlaw’s.
Now we can actually
measure who’s right. Two
years ago, I moved my business
up to Berlin because
I saw the potential of the
area. Since then we’ve created
20 new jobs. Additionally,
we’ve contributed to the
local economy by buying our
printing and other services
locally, and by buying homes
and insisting that company
meetings take place in
Berlin. There’s got to be an
economist at UNH or Plymouth
State that can calculate
the economic impact of that.
Laidlaw has been active in
Berlin as long as I have and
has yet to create a single job
(unless you count Charlie
Bass’ retainer). Now they’ve
actually become a landowner
in town, let’s see just how
long it takes them to create
the jobs they promise. And
let’s see which business, at
the end of 2009 has done
more for the local economy.
Katie D. Paine
Berlin
BOO HOO!!!!!!! YOU LOST.
Maybe you should have ponied up the 100m for the property. You bought property in an appalachian ghetto at dirt cheap prices hoping that the "new vision" would quadruple the value of your purchase. LLEG will put people back to work and the ship of fools who stood against it at city hall will eventually be in the unemployment line.
ive been there. the town is the armpit of nh
you wouldn't mean bike week or NASCAR? Berlin's got what, the annual river fire? Huge tourist draw lol
mal wart is also good for small business and welfare
damn right! I dont't want to be bailing out Berlin with my taxes because they are holding out for a management position...
not me, but you are a Berlin Official, are you not?
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=382815378205116668&postID=43557330401486305
and an elected official
http://www.berlinnh.gov/Pages/BerlinNH_BComm/assessors
Clean Power is still gonna sell ice cream out of a barn
Clean Power starts site plan
review process for biomass plant
BY BARBARA TETREAULT
THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN — Clean Power Development
Tuesday night began the site plan review
process for its proposed biomass plant.
Clean Power is seeking planning board
approval to construct a 22 to 27 megawatt
biomass plant on an 11-acre site next to
the city’s wastewater treatment plant. In
fact, the city is technically the applicant
because it owns the land. Clean Power,
which has an option to purchase the site,
is applying as an agent of the city.
The board spent about an hour discussing
the project with Clean Power
project manager Bill Gabler and consulting
engineer Tim Golde before tabling
the application. City Planner Pamela
Lafl amme advised it was better to allow
Clean Power to get the four special exceptions
its needs from the zoning board
before acting on its site plan application.
The project needs special exceptions for
the height of its fence and stack, having
fewer than required parking spaces, and
as a renewable energy facility. The zoning
board is scheduled to meet Jan. 27. Provided
it gets the special exceptions, the
planning board would take up the tabled
application at its February meeting—still
within the 60-day deadline to act.
Gabler said Clean Power has submit-
ted applications for alteration of terrain,
wetlands, shoreland protection,
and air resources permits before the
state Department of Environmental
Service. Because the proposed plant is
under 30 megawatts, it does not have
to go through the state Site Evaluation
Committee.
Gabler said Clean Power hopes to
have all the necessary permits for the
project by March to allow construction
to get underway this spring. He said
the goal is to have the plant up and
running by December 2010.
Gabler and Golde met with the
board in November for a conceptual
review of the project so the board was
familiar with the basics of the project.
Clean Power is proposing to design
the plant to resemble a barn with two
silos that will be used to store wood. A
wood storage yard onsite will hold a
30 day supply of wood.
Clean Power will build a new access
road to the plant off the Cleveland
Bridge and will not use Goebel Street
as a truck route. Gabler said 25 to
30 trucks per day, Monday through
Friday will While the plant will run
24 hours, seven days a week, Gabler
said trucks will not make deliveries
nights and weekends.
The height of the stack will be 130
feet while the silos will be 100 feet
high. Asked about lighting, Gabler
described it as “pretty minimal”.
Board member Gregg Estrella asked
how the plant will control run-off from
the wood chips.
Gabler said that has not been a
problem at other biomass plants. He
said any runoff would just be rain
water falling on the chips. He said it
will be directed into a culvert.
The plant will employ 24 employees.
Golde said Clean Power is in the
ISO-New England interconnection
queue and had a scoping session last
month with agency offi cials. He said
Clean Power is reviewing fi ve different
options for connecting to the
transmission grid to determine the
cheapest solution.
Gabler said the company is meeting
with potential purchasers of the electricity
generated by the biomass plant
but revealed Public Service Company
of N.H. has declined the opportunity
to discuss purchasing power from
Clean Power.
Clean Power’s meeting with the
planning board followed Monday’s
announcement that Laidlaw Energy
has completed purchase of the former
mill boiler and 60 acres of land for a
proposed 66-megawatt biomass plant.
Board member and City Councilor
Tom McCue noted it has been a year
since North American Dismantling
came before the planning board for a
boundary adjustment to create the 60-
acre lot it has sold to Laidlaw.
McCue said the longer the boiler
sits on the site, the more it impedes
economic opportunities for Berlin.
“It’s a shame,” he said
they're giving helicopter rides and are busy
dont worry i still give you zero cred
i have no idea who you are but that post is what is going on in the local media. your whopping 20 post about LLEG have me floored. I am a long time poster on this board and post when needed. crawl back under your rock and Happy Birthday!!!!!!
Reaction mixed to Laidlaw mill property acquisition
BY BARBARA TETREAULT
BERLIN — The news that Laidlaw Energy has
completed its acquisition of the former mill boiler
and 60 acres of land drew a mixed reaction yesterday.
Berlin Mayor David Bertrand said he continues
to oppose Laidlaw’s plan to convert the boiler into a
66-megawatt biomass plant because he feels it is not
the best use for the site.
“I’m not in favor of this project. I don’t think it’s
the right thing for Berlin,” he said.
Barry Kelley, owner of White Mountain Lumber,
said he is happy to see the project moving forward.
“I think this is a really good thing,” he said.
Laidlaw President Michael Bartoszek said his
company completed the purchase of the boiler and
land from North American Dismantling just before
Christmas.
“We are pleased to have concluded this transaction,
which will allow these assets to be put to good
use in support of clean energy and the economic
recovery of the North Country,” said Bartoszek.
Bertrand, who ran for mayor as an opponent of the
Laidlaw project, said he is not against biomass. He
is opposed to locating a plant on the mill property in
the center of the downtown.
“I think that site could be put to better use,” he
said.
Bertrand said he feels that continuing to use the
site for heavy industry precludes opportunities for
commercial and tourism development. He said manufacturing
jobs are declining in this country.
He also questions whether there is suffi cient wood
for all of the projects planned for the county.
Kelley said he is happy that Laidlaw has purchased
the boiler and land.
“Now they’re a stake holder here in town,” he
said.
Kelley said the biomass plant will not produce
either the smell or noise long associated with the
pulp mill. He said the hot water and steam produced
as a byproduct of the biomass operation should be
easy to market. He noted Laidlaw already has an
agreement to sell hot water to the Fraser mill in
Gorham which may help that mill remain in operation.
Kelley said the Laidlaw plant will create about 40
good paying jobs and will pay property taxes.
Kelley agrees there is not enough wood to feed the
remaining paper mills and all the projects proposed
for the North Country. Plans have been announced
for at least two biomass plants, two wood pellet facilities,
and a number of district heating projects.
He noted the paper industry is a cyclical business
and that impacts the availability of wood. Right now
the industry is in a downturn, and wood yards are
full.
The mill site is zoned industrial business. Last
June, the city council passed a resolution requiring
all energy projects to get a special exception from the
zoning board. But because the Laidlaw plant will be
over 30 megawatts, City Planner Pamela Lafl amme
said it falls under the jurisdiction of the state Site
Evaluation Committee. Lafl amme said the SEC is
suppose to consider the wishes of the community
among other considerations in ruling on applications.
Bertrand said the city will carefully watch the
permitting process and will act accordingly.
“They’ve still got a long way to go,” he noted.
Tonight, the planning board is scheduled to begin
site plan review for the other company hoping to
locate a biomass plant in Berlin. Clean Power Development
has an application to construct a 22 to 27
megawatt plan near the city’s waste water treatment
plan. Clean Power has an option to purchase
the land from the city.
now on ABC affiliate Ch 9 #4.....
http://www.wmur.com/index.html
actually emailed yesterday 8^)
i'm gonna have to watch ch 9 news tonight
http://www.wmur.com/index.html
FRONT PAGE...........
Laidlaw purchases former Fraser boiler, land
BY BARBARA TETREAULT
THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN — Laidlaw Energy has purchased the
former Fraser boiler and 60 acres of land from North
American Dismantling. The New York-based company
plans to convert the boiler into a 66-megawatt
biomass plant.
Laidlaw President Michael Bartoszek said all the
fi nancing and papers for the project were signed on
Dec. 23.
“The deal is closed,” he said. “We signed all the
papers on the twenty-third.”
Bartoszek said he expects to fi le the deed with the
Coos County Register of Deeds offi ce Monday. He
declined to reveal the purchase price of the boiler
and land.
Laidlaw announced in May that it has signed an
agreement to purchase the boiler and land from
NAD. At that time, Bartoszek estimated it would
take less than 90 days to complete the purchase.
On Friday, Bartoszek said it took longer than
expected to fi nalize the purchase because of the
complexity of the transaction. He said the property
had been a working mill for more than 100 years
and there were easements, title and land use issues
that had to be resolved.
He said the economic downturn did not slow the
deal. Bartoszek said the fi nancing is coming from
a group of private equity investors. He said all of
the fi nancing has been set and will be drawn down
as the project achieves specifi c milestones. He said
$10 million has been allocated for the developmentphase of the project.
In the next couple of months, Bartoszek
said Laidlaw will draft and
execute a defi nitive contract to sell
all the power generated by the plant
to Public Service of N.H. The parties
this fall announced they had reached
agreement that the power would be
purchased by PSNH.
At the same time, Bartoszek said
Laidlaw will be working on the application
it will submit to the state Site
Evaluation Committee to site, construct,
and operate a renewable energy
facility. Noting the required application
is fairly lengthy, he estimated it
will take Laidlaw at least two months
to put the application together. Once
the application is submitted, the committee
has 30 days to accept it and
then 240 days to make a decision.
With the permitting process
expected to take up most of this year,
Bartoszek said Laidlaw does not anticipate
being able to start work on the
boiler until the end of 2009. He said
that would point to a start-up date in
the third quarter of 2010.
Bartoszek said Carl Belanger will
continue to oversee the property for
the company while Laidlaw works to
get the project permitted.
Bartoszek said he has hundreds of
signatures of local residents who support
the project and said he believes
it is a vocal minority that opposes it.
He said is open to discussing ways the
biomass plant can help Berlin and the
local economy.
“We look forward to working with
the community,” he said.
The biomass plant will use about 20
acres of the 60 acres Laidlaw is purchasing.
Bartoszek said there is room
for other projects on the Laidlaw property
as well as the remaining 60 acres
that North American Dismantling
owns.
“We see the biomass plant as a catalyst
that could create a lot of revitalization
on that site,” he said.
Laidlaw already has a memorandum
of understanding to sell hot
water from the biomass plant to the
Fraser Papers mill in Gorham.
Bartoszek said he is also confi dent
there is suffi cient low grade wood to
supply the plant despite some recent
studies that suggest that may be an
issue. He said he expects the wood
would come from a variety of sources
including local loggers and some from
a longer distance. He noted that historically
the Berlin and Groveton
mills consumed about 1 million tons of
low grade wood annually. The Laidlaw
plant would use about 675,000 tons of
wood annually.
Bartoszek said the challenge will
be to rebuild the wood supply system
that existed here. He noted PSNH has
been able to supply its wood-burning
facility in Portsmouth
CONGRATS LONGS!!!!! ...............finally whew!
Gallus wants federal money to
pay for transmission upgrade
BERLIN — State Senator John
Gallus wants to use federal money
to upgrade the transmission line in
Coos County. He said he hopes to
work with the state’s Congressional
delegation to attract the $100 million
to $200 million required to upgrade
the Coos loop to handle the more
than 500 megawatts of renewable
energy projects already proposed for
the region.
Before meeting with delegation,
Gallus is working on a bill that he
hopes to get passed by the state legislature.
The bill would give the state
permission to bond to upgrade the line
if federal funds become available.
He said the legislation would allow
the state to borrow the necessary
money for the upgrade with the federal
government providing the funding
to cover the bond payments.
“It costs the state nothing this way,”
Gallus said.
The Berlin Republican said the
state’s budget problems prevent it
from covering the cost of upgrading
the Coos loop. Gallus said waiting
for the Federal Energy Regulatory
Agency or ISO-New England to work
out a way of allocating costs for transmission
upgrades could take years.
Massachusetts and Connecticut have
publicly stated their opposition to
regionalizing costs through the rate
structure.
Gallus points to the incoming
Obama administration’s emphasis on
developing the nation’s green infrastructure.
He said upgrading the Coos
loop would meet that objective. There
is 570 megawatts of new generation
proposed in renewable energy projects
in the ISO-NE queue for Coos County.
Without a major upgrade, the line can
only handle another 100 megawatts of
power. Noble Energy has an applica-
tion before the state Site Evaluation
Committee for a 99-megawatt wind
farm in Phillips Brook that would use
up most of that capacity.
Gallus said the upgrade might qualify
for federal Energy Effi ciency Funds
or serve as a pilot project under the
stimulus package the Obama administration
is expected to propose early
this year.
“The timing, he said, “appears to be
opportune to get the funds to kick in
some.”
At the same time, recent estimates
of the cost of upgrading the Coos loop
are considerable lower than initial fi gures.
“The good news is the cost seems to
be going down,” Gallus said.
A 2007 study by the N.H. Public
Utilities outlined several options for
upgrading the line, ranging in cost
from $160 million to $210 million. Last
month, Joseph Staszowski, director of
transmission planning for Northeast
Utility, released new estimates of $125
million to $155 million to the legislative
committee studying the issue. He
said those fi gures could drop another
$25 million after the 10-year ISO-NE
study is completed in the second quarter
of 2009.
Gallus said he is waiting to review a
fi nal draft of his bill and then will get
his cosponsors in both the House and
Senate to sign by the Jan. 12 cut-off
date. He hopes to get Gov. Lynch onboard
and is optimistic the bill will be
favorably received by the legislature.
Gallus also plans to meet with the
state’s Congressional delegation to
discuss going after federal funding for
the transmission upgrade.
Even if the legislature passes his
bill, Gallus said the real work would
rest with the Congressional delegation
to come up with the necessary
federal funding.
Gallus’ bill will not be the only one to
deal with the Coos transmission issue.
The chair of the legislative committee
set up last year to develop a plan to
expand the transmission capacity is
expected to submit a bill to continue
that body’s work. The committee
endorsed a series of recommendations
in its fi nal report but did not approve
a specifi c plan. One of the recommendations
was to continue the work of
the committee.
and clean power is a scam imo
Clean Power is a scam the only thing they are gonna produce is ice cream out of the barn imo
Transmission committee
endorses upgrading Coos loop
CONCORD — The committee charged with developing
a plan for expanding the electric transmission
capacity of Coos County endorsed a series of recommendations
at its fi nal scheduled meeting but did not
approve a specifi c plan.
The committee endorsed the concept of upgrading the
Coos loop. It recommended power generators, including
Noble Environmental, Clean Power Development, Laidlaw
Energy, and Wagner Forest Management; continue
to work independently and individually to develop a
proposal to spread some of the cost of upgrading the
line among the generators.
At the same time, the committee recommended the
N.H. Public Utilities Commission continue examining
various options for assessing some of the cost to ratepayers.
One of the committee’s recommendations is to continue
its existence. Technically, the committee’s fi nal
report was due Monday, Dec. 1. But the committee’s
chair, Martha Fuller Clark, who was absent at the fi nal
Nov. 24 meeting, is reportedly working on legislation to
extend the committee’s tenure.
At the November meeting, the committee heard new
transmission expansion options and cost fi gures that
were lower than initial fi gures released in the study
done by the PUC last year.
Joseph Staszowski, director of transmission planning
at Northeast Utility, said the initial estimates for
upgrading the Coos loop ranged from $150 million to
$200 million. He said the new estimates are $125 million
to $155 million. He said those fi gures may drop
another $25 million after the 10-year ISO-NE study is
completed in the second quarter of 2009.
Staszowski said stability and thermal limitations
would likely limit the amount of new generation on
the Coos loop to a total of 400 megawatts. There is 570
megawatts of new generation proposed in renewable
energy projects in the ISO-NE queue for Coos County.
Wind projects account for over 425 megawatts of the
proposed new generation.
First in the queue is Granite Reliable Power’s (Noble
Environmental) 99-megawatt wind farm in Phillips
Brook. GRP has fi led its application with the state Site
Evaluation Committee and that process is underway.
Noble is also second in the queue with a proposal for
a 146 megawatt wind farm. Position in the queue is
important since it works on a fi rst-come, fi rst-served
basis
There are two biomass proposals in the queue – both
proposed for Berlin. Clean Power Development is listed
for a 41-megawatt plant, although the company has since downsized that project to about
23 megawatts. Behind Clean Power
in the queue is Laidlaw Environmental
with a 61-megawatt project.
The availability of low-grade wood
for the biomass plants is an issue
that was raised before the committee.
The committee was briefed on
two biomass fuel availability studies.
Innovative Resources Solutions
conducted a study for Clean Power
Development that found there was
suffi cient biomass within a 60-minute
drive of Berlin at a reasonable cost to
fuel only a 30-megawatt plant.
Landvest conducted a study for the
state Department of Resources and
Economic Development that showed
there was about 600,000 tons of biomass
available annually or enough
for about a 50-megawatt plant. The
Landvest study, which was recently
updated, listed lower and upper
limits of 240,000 tons and 950,000
tons respectively.
Outgoing Rep. Fred King, (R-Colebrook),
said there will be legislature
fi led on the Coos transmission issue.
If the committee is extended, it would
be available to work on any legislation
that may arise in the upcoming session.
Another suspicious fire hits city
Barbara Tetreault and Jean LeBlanc
BERLIN— Another suspicious fire struck a vacant multi-story building early Saturday morning in Berlin.
The undermanned team of firefighters battled windy conditions and frigid temperatures for more than two and a half hours before the fire at 648 First Avenue was under control.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the state fire marshal’s office. But electricity to the building was shut off and Berlin fire Lt. John Lacasse said it is considered suspicious.
Berlin Police Cpl. Hollie Dube noticed the fire while on routine patrol and reported it at 4:16 a.m.
Assistant Fire Chief Robert Goudreau said when the crew of Capt. Gary Coulombe, Firefighters Jason Vien, Patrick Tremblay and Matt Michaud arrived at the scene, the fire was in the basement of the building but had a good start.
“It was entrenched by the time we got there,” he said.
The doors to the building were locked and firefighters had to force entrance to get to the fire.
Captain Richard Nicoletti said when the firefighters came out of the basement to replace their air tanks; they noticed the fire had spread to the first floor. Before they could get back inside, the fire had continued up the pipe chase to the second floor and attic.
“At that point it got away from us,” said Lacasse.
Lacasse said the firefighters quickly went into a defensive mode and worked to contain the fire from spreading. With the wind blowing embers onto the building south of the fire, the crew waged a tough battle to prevent that building from catching on fire
Police evacuated three nearby homes and electricity to the neighborhood was turned off until 11 a.m. The police station ran on its back-up generator.
Goudreau said the wind was a problem as was icing and the density of the neighborhood. He also said staffing was an issue. The department responded with an initial crew of four firefighters and only three more responded to the scene.
“I had seven people working the fire,” Goudreau said.
Firefighters cleared the scene at 10:42 a.m. and turned it over to State Assistant Fire Marshal Chris Wyman.
The building had been in foreclosure and the bank had just sold it on Oct. 28 for $13,000 to Mario DiCenso of Framingham, Mass, according to the Coos County Registry. DiCenso had purchased another multi-story building on the street last summer.
Another home owner burns down the house in Berlin yesterday
what do you think about Berlin now going into receivership?
And Clean Power is a scam IMO
just a refresher......
Spencer since your are jon edwards as MB pointed out in his blog...
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=382815378205116668&postID=43557330401486305
and an elected official
http://www.berlinnh.gov/Pages/BerlinNH_BComm/assessors
What do you think of LLEG dragging your towns a$$ into court re taxes and your pumping of clean power?
What liability might you be brining to berlin posting on boards trying to thwart LLEG from going forward?
http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2008/2008-144.htm
I know frozen wood chips, tiny roads, choo choo's with square wheels, and no trees.
imo clean power is a scam
I talk to people about corn flakes to see if they have a stale batch.
Council urged to set goals
now for fiscal 2010 budget
BERLIN — City Manager Patrick
MacQueen Monday night
urged the city council to begin
now to set goals for the fiscal 2010
budget cycle, including what it
wants for a tax rate and expenditure
level.He warned the council it will
have to consider doing away with
some departments or instituting
across the board layoffs if it
wants to keep the tax rate down
and tackle some of the city’s aging
infrastructure.“These are tough decisions,” he
said.
The remarks were part of
MacQueen’s presentation on his
proposed six year capital improvement
plan (CIP). He called the
document one of the strongest
fi nancial planning tools the city
has because it sets the financial
direction for the future.
All too often in municipal budgeting,
MacQueen said capital
projects are cut when the final
budget numbers show expenditures
exceed available revenues.
The city manager said that is the
easy approach that most municipalities,
including Berlin, have taken.
Instead of cutting capital projects
to keep the tax rate down,
MacQueen suggested the council
needs to set goals up front for
general fund increases, the tax
rate, capital spending, and the
size of the undesignated fund balance.
He said that puts the council,
as elected offi cials, in control
of the process. Department heads
are given funding levels for their
departments in advance so they can plan accordingly.
MacQueen noted the 2008 tax
rate is $29.82. He said keeping the
tax rate at that level next year will
probably require cutting between
$900,000 and $1.5 million from the
budget because of contracted salary
and benefit increases, rising energy
costs, and a reduction in unappropriated
surplus available to reduce
taxes.
Councilor Ron Goudreau said he
believes it is important psychologically
for the city that the tax rate
remain under $30. At the same time,
he said the city has to tackle some of
the projects in the CIP. That means,
he said, that the city has to reduce
its operating budget even if it means
cutting personnel.
Councilor Tim Dovovan said the
city needs to look at privatizing some
services. He targeted curbside garbage
pickup as an example. He said
Berlin is the only community that
still does its own garbage pickup. He
said the cost to the city is considerable
and it is a service the private
sector can probably do at a lower
cost. Donovan said it would result in
some job loss but said there is a good
chance the private contractor would
hire the city employees. He said creating
city jobs is not economic development.
“We’re not in the business of creating
jobs,” he said.
The CIP contains $76 million
worth of projects over six years. The
plan defi nes a capital project as an
item or project costing over $10,000
with a life expectancy of at least
three years. MacQueen said the document
identifi es funding sources for
the various projects.
One factor in the city’s favor is
its low debt load. MacQueen said
state law sets certain limits on how
much debt municipalities can carry.
Berlin’s general fund limit is three
percent of the city’s total equalized
valuation or $13.7 million. Currently,
the city’s total debt load for
both school and non-school projects
is about $1.4 million. That means
the city can legally borrow over $12
million for capital projects. Furthermore,
the mill tax settlement will be
paid off next year and all the current
debt will be paid off by fi scal 2018.
MacQueen noted, however, the CIP
included additional borrowing for
sewer system improvements, public
safety facility improvements, and
other projects.
While the city has plenty of capacity
to borrow money, MacQueen said
it is not free money and comes with
interest payments.
MacQueen reviewed the fi rst year
of projects in the CIP. General fund
projects, ranging from sidewalk
and retaining wall replacement to
the housing initiative and public
works garage upgrade, total $3.9
million. The bulk of the funding for
those projects is identifi ed as city
funds. The CIP includes $26 million
to upgrade the sewer system with
$8.4 million the federal Bureau of
Prison’s share to connect the new
federal prison to the city’s system.
MacQueen said the city is still waiting
to hear if the bureau is planning
to build its own system or connect to
the city’s system.
The CIP also lists $275,000 in projects
at the airport and $379,000 for
the Berlin Industrial Development
and Park Authority.
Mayor David Bertrand urged councilors
to review the CIP and think
about goals it wants to set. He said
he will make the CIP the major item
for the Dec. 8 work session agenda
Berlin NH facts
385 properties for sale on realtor.com (up from 371 when i started posting)of 5062 housing units
Berlin $29.96 in taxes for each 1k property valuation
county taxes up 20.5% ($4 on 1000.00)
sewer rates going up 5.7%
Water department now shutting of water to properties overdue w a 75.00 reconnect fee
highest electricity rates in the state
Gorham next town over 80 mill workers out of work
School department getting a huge cut.
w a population of 9600 1/4 of working adults report losing a job in the past year
Unoccupied homes getting burnt down
the avg homeowner's house is valued at 70k.
(although everyone just got reassessed)
family of 4 income 38,750
2,550 in taxes
1,000+/- water bill
2400 annual electric bill
4500 to heat the house
4000 to drive to work(those that still have a job)
5200 on food
here in the peoples republic of taxachusetts, the state of NH is advertising selling state bonds to the public to fund their projects.
N.H. Democrats must
make deep budget cuts
CONCORD (AP) — Voters have
given New Hampshire Democrats
the chance to prove they aren’t the
“taxers and spenders” Republicans
claim them to be, but avoiding the
label will be very painful.
That’s because Democrats — put
in charge of state government for a
consecutive term — face the sobering
chore of cutting hundreds of
millions of dollars in state spending
over the next 32 months to avoid
raising taxes.
“The Legislature has only been
controlled by Democrats once in 100
years so we don’t have a record of
taxing and spending,” said Senate
Finance Chairman Lou D’Allesandro,
a Manchester Democrat.
“We have an opportunity. We can say
these Republicans who’ve controlled
this place forever always blame the
Democrats, but the Democrats had no
way to deliver. Now we have a way to
deliver and we better do it.”
It will be tough. The state’s financial
picture is ugly and getting uglier
as the national recession drives
down the state tax receipts needed
to support services while driving up
demand for those services.
So far, Gov. John Lynch and fellow
Democrats have made about $100
million in budget adjustments
through a combination of new revenue
measures and cuts. On Nov. 21,
Lynch will ask lawmakers to make
roughly $160 million in additional
adjustments — about 10 percent
— to spending funded by general
taxes.
Lynch also has asked agency heads
to prepare a “no growth” budget for
the two years that start July 1.
Agencies had asked for an additional
$457 million just to continue
existing programs over the period.
Another $100 million is needed to
fund the new school aid formula. No
one knows if state revenues will grow
to partially cover the new spending,
but typically the state sees some
growth even in downturns.
In an interview with The Associated
Press, Lynch called the original
agency requests “unrealistic.”
“I don’t want to underestimate the
extent of the fi nancial challenge that
we face,” said Lynch. “It is very, very
signifi cant and it will require some
very tough decisions. It will require
us as a state to not do things we may
think would be important to do under
another economic environment or to
defer some things. But we’re going
to have to make some tough choices
among priorities going forward.”
Right now, Lynch said he is not looking
at options other states are considering,
such as selling state property
to raise money and leasing it from
the buyer or selling the state’s annual
share of the tobacco industry’s settlement
with states in a process called
securitization. Nor, he said, is he looking
at new taxes or layoffs.
Instead, he wants agencies to look
for ways to restructure their operations
to save money.
He has asked agencies to prepare
budgets for 2010 that spend 97 percent
of their 2009 budget and for
2011 that spends 100 percent of
their 2009 budget.
If agencies comply, the budget gap
shrinks dramatically, but it won’t
happen without pain since rising
energy and other fi xed costs must
be funded at the expense of other things
....... ya think?
see post 38807
he should know, hes on the board of assessors
http://2much2do4now.typepad.com/bytechew/2008/10/are-we-smarter-now.html#comments
Jon. You are on the board of Assessors and a Realtor. When I asked you to sell my house for 130,000 you laughed (which waxs honest). I have an offer for 60,000 and owe 130,000 (first offer in four years of me and you trying to sell this house). My house was asessed at $40,000 it was recently re-assesed at 128,300 do you feel that is honest or realistically what it is worth? Have you sold more than one house for more than 100,000 in the entire community this year? With all the personal vendettas and hatred I have endured from City hall it is very hard for me to not laugh at this bogus criminal assessment. How could they expect anyone to take this serious? How are these kinds of personal attacks good for the community? I should have never written here. I remember the first week writing here, Pam Laflamme calling K.D. Paines office demanding to know exactly who i was because she did not like my oppinion on the City situation. Rocky. You want to know why people try and keep their identities secret. Retribution, petty, criminal retribution. ATV destination. Dream of the worst case scenarion that you do not want and that is what you will (bombing range) get!
Posted by: Ebenezer Screwed | October 30, 2008 at 05:25 PM
Spencer since your are jon edwards as MB pointed out in his blog...
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=382815378205116668&postID=43557330401486305
and an elected official
http://www.berlinnh.gov/Pages/BerlinNH_BComm/assessors
What do you think of LLEG dragging your towns a$$ into court re taxes and your pumping of clean power?
What liability might you be brining to berlin posting on boards trying to thwart LLEG from going forward?
http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2008/2008-144.htm
I know frozen wood chips, tiny roads, choo choo's with square wheels, and no trees.
hey
anyone know of any city officials posting on this board who may be subject???????
http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2008/2008-144.htm
"the city that trees saved" I like that.