Cheshire Asks Kinder Morgan For Information Presentation

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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The Selectmen are hoping to set up informational sessions with Kinder Morgan and its opponents before the town votes its position on the controversial natural gas pipeline.

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Kinder Morgan officals are willing to do a presentation on its plans for a natural gas pipeline — but only if they don't have to share the floor.

Selectman Robert Ciskowski told the board Tuesday that he had recently contacted Kinder Morgan to see when it could send a representative to give a presentation.  

The proposed natural gas pipeline will pass through Cheshire along with other Berkshire County communities before heading north into New Hampshire and then to Dracut.

Cheshire would like to set up an informational meeting to inform residents before they hold a nonbinding referendum in the spring.

Ciskowski said Kinder Morgan will give a 15-minute presentation followed by a question-and-answer period, but asked that no oppositional groups be allowed to present alongside. Ciskowski said he would rather have both viewpoints represented.

"If we are going to do a presentation, I don't think we are really going to get the real picture if Kinder Morgan just does 15 minutes and then questions," he said. "I would really recommend that we push them to let someone else present so we can really give the voters both sides of this."

He said Kinder Morgan also asked that the meeting be held like a Selectmen's meeting so people could be "reined in" if need be.

"Right now they don't really want competition," Ciskowski said. "They said they don't want a debate forum, and I am guessing they have done that before and it didn't work out to well for them."

Ciskowski said if it came to it, he would be up to holding two separate meetings but rather they be on the same night.

Chairwoman Carol Francesconi recommended having both presentations on the same night at different times with no interaction between the two groups.

Town Administrator Mark Webber reported his findings from the recent Berkshire Regional Planning Commission pipeline group meeting. The group provides areas affected by the Kinder Morgan pipeline with support and legal counsel.

He said that Kinder Morgan has asked BRPC to provide maps with overlays of the affected communities showing the impact areas. He said the overlays will show wetlands, watersheds, sensitive areas, and existing residential and commercial buildings.

BRPC will give the maps to the communities for local review before they go to Kinder Morgan. He said it will be up to the town to make known any areas of proposed expansion or subdivision, public wells, substandard roads or bridges, and areas important to the town.

"What we have to do is see if there is anything within that impact zone that doesn't show up on the map," Webber said. "It will give the towns the opportunity to be more comprehensive in what the maps will show."

Kinder Morgan will pay BRPC for the service.

Webber said he learned that other pipeline companies may at this point be ahead of Kinder Morgan's Northeast Energy Direct in the race to Dracut. He said BRPC reported that the Access Northeast pipeline has more contracts with gas companies, which the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission takes into account when awarding permits.

"I am sure it's like a horse race where it's back and forth, but they have more power purchase contracts with providers than Kinder Morgan does at this point," he said. "That is a key thing FERC looks at."

Webber said 10 municipalities have entered the BRPC group and the cost has been brought down to $4,950 for the remainder of the fiscal year. BRPC expects a few groups from New York to join, which will lower the price even more.

The Selectmen said the proposed solar array project to be built on the Bushika gravel pit property has been cut from 1 megawatt to .5 Mw because the National Grid power lines cannot support the power load.   

Webber said the developer believes the town accounts may still benefit from the array, but he does not think other accounts will able to be added.

"People were very interested in what he was saying. A renewable resource for Cheshire that would save residents money," Ciskowski said. "It is most unfortunate." 


Tags: gas pipeline,   solar array,   

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Hoosac Valley High School to Stage 'Suessical'

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Hoosac Valley High School will showcase their rendition of "Suessical," a musical based on the tales of Dr. Seuss by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.
 
The performances are scheduled for Friday, March 15 at 7 pm, and Saturday, March 16 at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online via the provided link. Prices are $8 for students and $10 for adults.
 
Directed by Rebecca Koczela and Amanda Watroba, the production features around 50 students participating as actors, pit band musicians, and backstage and tech crews. Notably, this year's cast includes several middle school students who have joined the high school production, marking their first experience performing on stage.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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