This op-ed by Dolly McPhaul appeared in the Concord Monitor on December 15th, 2018.
— It is time for Gov. Chris Sununu to place his allegiance with the people of New Hampshire, where it belongs.
Sununu was elected, and is paid, by the people of New Hampshire for representing them. However, he has received Eversource money as well and has demonstrated repeatedly his support for Eversource over the people. In its 2016 fourth-quarter investor’s call on Feb. 22, 2017, Eversource said Gov. Sununu is a strong supporter of Northern Pass and the project seems on a positive track to receive its permit within seven months. The governor claimed, when confronted, there was nothing he could do to help Northern Pass. False.
The Site Evaluation Committee rejection of Northern Pass on Feb. 1 of this year should have been the end of the story, but it wasn’t – for either Eversource or Sununu.
There is a saying that goes, “If you can’t win using the current rules, change the rules.” And so they did.
Senate Bill 366 was proposed by Sen. Jeb Bradley and Rep. Richard Barry, signed into law on June 8 by Sununu. It was to increase the number of public members on the SEC from two to five, and to require a training program. On the surface, it demonstrates concern for the public. However, knowing the bill supporters, red flags appeared.
It is the governor’s job to appoint SEC members. According to this bill, he will have the opportunity to nominate three more members. Compounded by the fact the SEC chairman now “randomly” decides who will judge which case, the makeup of the SEC could dramatically change from a committee that refused the Northern Pass application to one that could accept it. Should the state Supreme Court send the case back to the SEC or Northern Pass reapply, if turned down by the court, over two years of hearings and deliberations could be rendered useless. MORE…