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Warrant in Hollis to consider 14 articles opposing gas pipeline

HOLLIS – A special town meeting will be held in Hollis on Saturday, Sept. 20, to consider the following warrant.

All articles require a majority vote to pass. They are not legally binding, but will be used to formalize the town’s opinion about a proposed natural gas pipeline.

The warrant reads:

You are hereby notified to meet in the Hollis Brookline High School Gymnasium on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at 9 AM to participate in a Special Town Meeting. You are hereby notified that voting upon the questions below will be held following discussion of these questions and to transact any other business which may properly arise at the meeting.

ARTICLE 1

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal is inconsistent with the Town’s goal of preserving the Town’s rural character.

ARTICLE 2

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal is inconsistent with the Town’s goal of protecting and preserving the water quality in the Town’s lakes, rivers, streams, brooks, estuaries, groundwater, and other bodies of water.

ARTICLE 3

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal is inconsistent with the Town’s goal of preserving and protecting local wildlife, including but not limited to the federally protected marbled salamander, hognose snake, hog-peanut, Sickle-pod, butterfly-weed, Wiegand’s sedge, Houghton’s umbrella sedge, ram’s head lady’s slipper, burweed, goat’s rue, and trailing arbutus.

ARTICLE 4

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal is inconsistent with the Town’s goal of preserving its rural character because of the potential affects upon scenic roads, roadside trees, and stonewalls.

ARTICLE 5

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal is inconsistent with the Town’s goal of preserving and protecting forests, woodlands, wetlands, and open-space areas for recreational purposes.

ARTICLE 6

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal would have an adverse impact upon the property values within the Town, thereby reducing tax revenues and impairing the tax base of the Town, net of any positive tax impact from the proposed pipeline.

ARTICLE 7

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal would adversely affect aesthetics within the Town by disturbing pristine or recreational forests, trails, woodlands, and wetlands and by clear-cutting a fifty-foot wide path for the construction of said pipeline. .

ARTICLE 8

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal would adversely affect aesthetics within the Town by altering or disturbing scenic roads, roadside trees, and stonewalls and by clear-cutting a fifty-foot wide path for the construction of said pipeline.

ARTICLE 9

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal would adversely affect aesthetics within the Town by altering or disturbing historic sites and areas.

ARTICLE 10

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal would adversely affect health and safety within the region by causing construction materials, soil, dust, and potential contaminants to enter the water shed that supplies water to the greater Nashua area.

ARTICLE 11

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal would adversely affect health and safety within the Town and in the greater Nashua area due to the continuous presence of a natural gas pipeline proximate to groundwater, aquifers, water sheds and surface water, which supply water to the greater Nashua area.

ARTICLE 12

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal would adversely affect health and safety within the Town by causing construction materials, soil, dust, and potential contaminants to enter wetland areas and/or groundwater.

ARTICLE 13

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the proposal would traverse large tracts of conservation land property and would involve economic uses that are inconsistent with other economic uses within said areas, such as silviculture and agriculture.

ARTICLE 14

Are you in favor of adopting the following as proposed by the Board of Selectmen: To see if the Town of Hollis will vote to oppose approval by the New Hampshire Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee of the construction and installation of a natural gas pipeline by Tennessee Natural Gas Company as part of the Northeast Energy Direct Project because the Town lacks the required equipment or personnel for emergency services to adequately address potential health and safety risks that the proposal presents.