Email discussions since meeting

[Noah Munro]

Hello all,

Below you will find all the email discussions since the meeting two weeks ago, roughly in newest to oldest order.

Ellie, in response to your question about the best evenings to use The Mill in the Fall: Monday's work well, but other nights might be possible too. I can give a more concrete response by the end of this week.

Please be careful to only email the list serve if it's relevant to everyone. Any replies will be sent to the author of the message unless you consciously choose to email newfounde...@googlegroups.com

Thanks,

~Noah

***

Here's an update on the wind turbines:

I spoke with Hebron resident Curtis Mooney, an environmentalist who works for PSNH.  Curt suggested that we invite Mark Fraser of PSNH to speak to our group..  Mark can be reached at 634-2920.

       o       Any interest trying to schedule a meeting with Mark Fraser in September?

       o       Noah - are Monday evenings the best times to use the Mill this fall?

       o       Perhaps it would be good to hear what Mark Fraser has to say before we trek to Searsburg?

Opinions?

Enjoy the beautiful weather.

/Ellie

 

 

A key witness to hear from, I agree, lets listen.    Lee

 

 

We definitely should hear from PSNH - what their long term strategies are to
meet alternative energy goals.  Have they identified any wind opportunities,
etc.
Max

Sounds like a good idea.  I'd be interested to know
PSNH's strategy for meeting the new renewable energy
requirements.....the Coop too, for that matter.  I could
ask Ray Gosney, who is on the Plymouth Energy Committee
with me (and a vp at the Coop) if someone from the
Coop could update us on their strategy too.

Linda

Hi folks,

Just received this from Susan Fogelman - hawk migration woman. the more info the better.

http://hmana.org/read_article.php?id=9

Suzanne

Hello all,

I just took a break from an infinite flow of house guests to reread your e-mails since the meeting last Monday.

Here are some notes and observations:

       o       Note: Gene Bank and David Schatz are now on my distribution list.  This is a stop-gap measure until
               Noah's listserv is available.

       o       I recommend that we all do online research before site visits to Searsburg or Hull, and before contacting
               the electric utilities in NH or the NH Office of Energy and Planning (OEP).  The more we can learn on our
               own in advance, the more productive the site visits and discussions with PSNH, the Co-op, and OEP will be.

       o       When we are ready to plan and schedule site visits, I would recommend carpooling (sharing the cost of gas).
               Perhaps one sub-group could visit Searsburg and another Hull, and then write up reports?

       o       Because the Searsburg topography is much more similar to ours than is Hull, my primary interest                            would be to learn more about the Searsbrg wind farm (and the proposed expansion).  Here are some links                you may find interesting:

       http://www.gmpvt.com/whoweare/searsburg.shtml

       http://www.memagazine.org/backissues/membersonly/aug98/features/wind/wind.html

       http://factoids.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/searsburg-wind-farm/

       http://www.nrgsystems.com/AboutWind/WindinVermont.aspx

       http://archive.capecodonline.com/special/windfarm/windmountain12.htm

       http://www.protecttheflinthills.org/information/Boston%20Globe%20Windfarms%20&%20Environmentalists.pdf

/Ellie

The Searsburg express at your service can take six or seven passengers.  Lee

Thanks, Lee, and count me in.

 

Here is the contact person:

 

Dorothy Schnure, Manager, Corporate Communications
Green Mountain Power
802-655-8418

Do you want to call her to get some possible dates for the site visit?  I'm available Thursdays and Fridays in September and October.

I had a long conversation with Curtis Mooney yesterday concerning wind turbines.  He, as some of you know, is an environmentalist who works for PSNH.  He was also, until recently, a valuable member of the Hebron Planning Board.  Curt recommended that we invite someone from PSNH to one of our meetings.  He will give me the contact information.  We should also have someone from the Coop come to speak with us, but that should be at a different meeting.  By the way, Curt thinks the wind turbine idea has merit.

/Ellie

Thank you, Gene, for your informative and well-received presentation on commercial wind turbines.  It occurred to me in dream sleep that the Bridgewater wood chip generator must be connected to the kind of transmission line the wind farm would require to connect to the grid.  How far away is the Bridgewater generator from our hypothetical wind farm?

Next steps?

Noah volunteered to set up a listserv for NEG, adding names of those who gave us their e-mail addresses last evening.  Thanks, Noah.

Martha mentioned the possibility of a field trip to view a commercial wind farm, and to learn more about wind turbine technology.  The Vermont wind farm would be a good initial foray.  Count me in!

Best.

/Ellie

Yes, thank you Gene! Your presentation was very informative and definitely caught the ears of residents as evidenced by all of the questions asked (and answered!)

I'm up for a field trip... who has a van?

And thank you Noah - the Mill is a wonderful asset to our community (and the ice cream can't be beat!) We appreciate your family's generosity and your volunteer efforts in the community.

Ellie,
I had the same thought about the Bridgewater plant...definitely worth looking in to.

Suzanne

Suzanne J. Smith CCH, RSHom(NA)
Classical Homeopathy & Nutrition Counseling
20 Brookside Lane
Hebron, NH  03264
603-744-9064

HI all,

Very good evening - lots of good questions. Last year Linda wrote for an energy grant for the Plymouth group - do you think that same resource might be tapped to hire a bus (seats up to 70?) trip for a group of folks, maybe chaperoned by the gentleman from the Energy company  who Gene has spoken with? I know Hull, MA hosts tours, led by their general manager, who can give all the background history of the project from its inception. Green Mountain Power gives tours for the Searsburg, VT facility.

Best,

Martha

Thanks, Gene, for getting the ball rolling.  It's great to see the Newfound Energy Group step up to an opportunity when it presents itself.  This was our intention when we stopped meeting.  We didn't know what would energize us again.

I obtained a $1,000 grant from the Grassroots Fund to conduct a Greenhouse Gas Inventory for the town of Plymouth.  I doubt they would fund a bus trip, but I suppose we could try.    They look for more concrete projects with goals/results.  If we decide to do a feasibility study, they'd probably pony up $$$ for that. 

Once Noah puts up the mailing list, we can poll the expanded group and see how much interest there is for a trip.  If we get enough people to fill up a bus, the fare probably wouldn't be too bad.  Otherwise, carpooling is always an option.

Linda

It seems to me that we should be in contact with PSNH and/or the Co-op sometime soon.  This being the business their in – there should be something stirring in their board.  Mark knows his way around in their hierarchy.  Would something like this be in their 5 year plan?

Max