A Closer Look at Hydro Quebec’s Environmental Activity and Hydroelectric Power

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As a responsible citizen of the New England states, while also always looking out for the best interests of our membership of 2,000-plus skilled electrical lineman throughout the northeast, IBEW Local 104 has explored the environmental awareness of Hydro-Québec and aptitude of hydroelectric power itself.

Local 104 supports the Northern Pass project, which will bring electrical lines into New Hampshire from Hydro-Québec’s plants, because of the unquestioned renewable power and jobs it will provide.

But Local 104 always wants to make certain it supports companies and projects that do not adversely affect the environment in New England — after all, our members and their families live and work here, too.

The U.S. Geological Survey lists an abundance of advantages to hydroelectric power … including several environmental and sustainability benefits. In fact, the USGS specifically lists “Hydroelectricity helps fight climate changes.” Check out the list here: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hydroadvantages.html

What’s more, studies show that hydroelectricity is one of the lowest emission-generating options. Hydro-Québec produces 33% of the total electricity generated in Canada but accounts for only 0.4% of the greenhouse gas emissions from the country’s electric utilities. At the same time, the reservoirs created to produce hydroelectricity are diversified ecosystems, comparable to a natural lake, that provide the food and habitat necessary for the growth of plant life.

Hydro-Québec has created, some time ago, the “Fondation Hydro-Québec pour l’environnement” to contribute to the enhancement and long-term protection of the environment. Through this foundation, the company partners with local organizations on projects designed to protect, restore and enhance natural habitats, and educate target audiences about local environmental issues. IBEW Local 104 applauds those efforts; read more at www.hydroquebec.com/fondation-environnement/en/index.html.

Northern Pass is NOT about Eminent Domain

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Now that the bill designed to block the Northern Pass project from using eminent domain to acquire private land has passed the New Hampshire House without debate (House Bill 648) and is moving onto the governor, there is one simple fact that needs to be understood by ALL New Englanders.

Northern Pass is NOT about eminent domain rights and laws. In fact, Northern Pass has stated time and again that it does not want to use eminent domain to acquire the small amount of land it needs!

What Northern Pass IS about is bringing much-needed clean, renewable and affordable energy to New Hampshire and creating the thousands of local jobs that will come along with constructing and maintaining the project … and NOT at the expense of landowners or by scarring the landscape.

Even Gov. Lynch has said he supports bringing more renewable power to New Hampshire and believes hydropower from Canada should not be dismissed.

These important elements aside, the Northern Pass project already has much of the right-of-way to construct the lines and substations required to help ease New Hampshire’s energy needs. Some of that land was purchased at more than fair market value from landowners.

But Northern Pass is anything BUT a land-grab. The company is trying to acquire needed land through purchase or easements.

Northern Pass spokesman Martin Murray has said the company has transmission rights for the majority of the proposed route — from the southernmost terminal to just north of Groveton — and does not want to use eminent domain.

“There is no intention on the part of the project to use eminent domain … It’s not something we’re dependent on,” Murray has said.

So, the issue becomes PROVIDING POWER TO NEW HAMPSHIRE and PROVIDING GREEN LOCAL JOBS TO LOCAL ELECTRICAL WORKERS … and that is why IBEW Local 104 supports Northern Pass and asks you to SIGN THE NORTHERN PASS PETITION.

Northern Pass Project WILL Bring Jobs!

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The eminent domain issue aside, there is absolutely no mistaking that the Northern Pass Project to build transmission lines that will bring clean, affordable hydroelectric power into New Hampshire will create jobs … and Local 104 members from NEW HAMPSHIRE and all over New England will be able to fill many of those positions.

A local economist, Lisa Shapiro of Concord, did her own economic study to find that Northern Pass will create 1,200 to 1,500 jobs.

Among much of the controversy over the project, the New England Power Generators Association — which, interestingly, represents many of the power generators in the region and therefore is opposed to the project for their own financial reasons — is wrongly claiming Northern Pass will not create that many jobs (though it did admit it WILL create jobs!).

But Ms. Shapiro pointed out many errors in the Association’s thinking … most notably that its study used a “theoretical estimate of the project’s cost rather than the actual expense Northern Pass officials plan to incur” and it ”left out construction jobs associated with the project, including the creation of 20 miles of roads and the logging needed to create new transmission corridors.”

The study also wrongly assumes that particular out-of-state contractors will be hired and that any out-of-state firms would hire someone other than in-state workers.

Martin Murray, Northern Pass spokesman, in a newspaper article discounted the findings as biased. “You have to consider the source,” he said of the New England Power Generators Association. “It’s not surprising that this group is opposing Northern Pass and looking again for something to try to stop the project from succeeding.”

In the end, Northern Pass will create many, much-needed jobs for the state, the region and IBEW Local 104 skilled linemen. That is why Local 104 supports the New Hampshire Coalition for Secure Energy … because we also believe in secure JOBS for New England and New Hampshire!

Please SIGN THE NHCSE PETITION to show your support for New Hampshire and the Northern Pass Project!

 

Republican Candidates Dangerous for Unions

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“Republican Candidates Attack Unions.” That’s really all of the Boston Globe story you need to read (but you can read it all here: Republican Candidates Attack Unions).

The Republican presidential candidates battling it out in very aggressive debates are saying unions like IBEW Local 104 should have less power. They want to take away union staples such as Prevailing Wage, Training and Project Labor Agreements — and they will, should any one of them become president. We know that these staples are helping to keep America’s middle class together by keeping our union strong.

In fact, should one of these candidates become president, you can bet “Right To Work For Less” will not be too far behind in your state.

How can a candidate say one thing — such as union training programs help make American workers more competitive — and then another — such as unions are hurting economic growth and our pay should be tied to private sector salaries?

It only adds up to political double-speak to win votes. To get the real story, check out the Local 104 chart on how each Republican candidate stands on important issues.

And remember to vote!

104 Blog Will Help Inform and Keep Tabs on Important Issues

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As an active IBEW local supporting over 1,000 member outside electrical linemen in the New England area, Local 104 has long felt communication is a key to our success.

Among other things, that is why we constantly maintain and update our website, including posting regular video news segments detailing some of our many activities, including jobs such at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; our efforts in the community such as our many charity events; and our lineman rodeos.

This blog will serve as another valuable tool to help get our messages out and keep our members, the public and politicians informed on key issues that affect all of them, as well as the outside electrical industry. In the immediate future, for example, these topics will include the Northern Pass Project and the New Hampshire Coalition for Secure Energy, which will bring hydroelectric power to New Hampshire — which Local 104 fully supports because in addition to providing clean, needed power to that state, it also means many new jobs for our members.

Other topics we will address in this blog will include our advanced lineman training programs through the JATC; direct industry issues such as Prevailing Wage and Safety; certain important jobs on which 104 members are playing key roles, such as the Maine Power Reliability Project; the many benefits of working with and hiring union contractors; political action, including comment on key candidates in political races; and labor-management relations, which are key to 104 and its contractors.

This blog will serve as a clearinghouse of current information and the fact-based stances of Local 104 on the wide range of issues that affect 104 and our industry.

As always, this blog will assist 104 with its mission to serve our members, our contractors, their customers and the entire region while adhering to our Code of Excellence in everything we do.