By Gerald Roy

I have attended two meetings at the Mountain Grand View Hotel at which I regrettably  said nothing, but should have. Now I have a chance to be heard.

How does this affect me?

We live one lot away from an existing ROW owned by Eversourse they intend to use that is 200 feet from my property line. The existing 40-foot wooden poles I can live with that, but to replace them with 90-plus-foot steel towers would be a very  unwanted sight when I look in that direction across at my neighbor to the east behind the trees that borders their property and the powerline.

I am from Berlin, N.H., about a 40-minute drive away. The only city in this sparsely populated northern most county of Coos. Most of my childhood I lived elsewhere, my father being in the military, then my own time in the service. I always knew where I wanted to settle – In God’s Country.

I returned to Berlin and worked in the local paper mill from 1973-1992 when I moved to Whitefield  and commuted until  early medical retirement in 2006.    I didn’t return to this area to see steel towers. I could have done that most any place. Many people have done the same — chosen to spend the remainder of their time on this earth here for the same reasons.

So I do have ties with the city of Berlin. They no doubt need the service Eversource can offer as the whole area would. I totally agree with the necessity of the clean power needed to replace outgoing sources of power. The beautiful state of N.H. will carry the unsightly scar on our landscape, thus turning away our staple source of state income.

Times change and so do the types of jobs, but if New Hampshire stays beautiful so will the source of tourist income. All of this for the greed and profits of a non-caring large company,  and many people to have electric power not knowing or caring about any grief  or sacrifices it’s caused. New Hampshire will get only 10% of the power passing through that ugly scar that will depreciate our land values. I feel like the native American Indians being robbed of our land for the need and greed of others. “Let’s keep the natives happy, then everyone can be happy. ”

The people from all over the state that were pooled and asked their thoughts about the burial of the entire line should not have had any bearing on the matter. They don’t live here or care. They, as all other N.H. residents, think they will save big bucks on their light bill. I read somewhere it will save maybe $10 a month. WOW, sign me up. Even the city of Berlin 30 miles away is OK with it, not if it’s in their tight valley.

Many families for generations have vacationed or summered up here in their youth, from down where this power is going. They have taken numerous, wonderful photos in the past. Now there may be a massive powerline in the background — not so great any more. My wife is an artist who can paint that picture, and omit those lines. No camera can do that.

We have three children who live in the Berlin/Gorham area who would love to have this property as is, but maybe not if Eversource gets its way with this 5-plus acres, now worth $125,000. It won’t be worth enough for each of them purchase a 50×50 plot of land up here. This area’s fighting to bury the entire line.

It’s the most scenic, has the most unemployed, is the least populated, has the most to lose, the least to gain, the smallest ratio of voters. We have no voice. Please speak for us. “Live Free or Die.”  Stay Proud.

This can be a win/win situation for all if done RIGHT and the entire line is BURIED and out of sight, also eliminating the potent ional cause of possible harmful emissions to all wildlife and any humans living close by.

Bury it or Forget it.