Thread by @aropeik

the orange vs. navy shirts are out in force as NH site evaluators decide whether to hear @EversourceNH's appeal for its #northernpass permit. #nhpolitics

it comes just after a big court ruling that eversource hopes might change the power line's fortunes. #nhpolitics #northernpass nhpr.org/post/eversourc…

that's the same state supreme court that would hear #northernpass' case, if site evaluators decline to take up the appeal today. the adventure continues... #nhpolitics

site eval committee (SEC) first considering a motion from @IBEW104 for 2 subcommittee members who argued against #northernpass to recuse themselves from rest of the case.

those members are defending themselves - they say the motion for recusal takes their past, impartial statements out of context. kathryn bailey of the NH PUC sounds incredulous she has to do this. she doesn't want to recuse herself. #northernpass

they vote to let bailey stay. now talking about SEC public member patricia weathersby. she also feels she's been impartial. (and as usual, pardon my livetweeting - it doubles as my notes. 📝)

SEC votes to let weathersby stay, too. now to the main event: @EversourceNH's motion for a re-hearing for #northernpass.

SEC has to figure out if they did something legally unreasonable in rejecting #northernpass.

first, talking about how they didn't deliberate on all 4 tests #northernpass had to meet:
1. its effect on the orderly development of the region
2. its financial stability
3. its effect on aesthetics & the environment
4. its service of public good

they know it would have been good practice to do all 4, but say it wasn't legally required. they maintain eversource didn't prove #northernpass could pass the development test; they feel deliberations were able to end there.

the SEC hits a stumbling block where they aren't sure how to legally proceed like every 10 minutes. their lawyer looks tired.

now talking about if they should have tried harder to come up with conditions for approval of the project. short answer: they feel they didn't have enough info.

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SEC doesn't buy eversource's argument that #northernpass didn't get enough consideration of possible conditions for approval. a new hearing feels unlikely here - i've said it before, but i bet this will end up at the state supreme court. #nhpolitics

"if we'd viewed [#northernpass] as a winner, it would have been approved," says SEC/PUC chair martin honigberg. (@IBEW104 wants him to resign over this week's court ruling on electric restructuring. eversource isn't taking a position on that.)

revisiting one of eversource's expert #northernpass witnesses - SEC says they don't think he was lying, but didn't find him credible or reliable. honigberg remarks, "my cousin vinny!"

SEC now debating whether they've given the state supreme court enough to work with if and when it takes up #northernpass.

we're on a break until 1pm. i expect they'll make a decision on whether to grant #northernpass a re-hearing soon after - not sure we'll need the scheduled day 2.