CONCORD — Northern Pass will mean worthless property, fewer visitors and a scar across New Hampshire’s scenic landscape, opponents warned Thursday referring to the $1.6 billion, 192-mile high-voltage project to bring Hydro-Quebec electricity to the New England grid at the state Site Evaluation Committee’s second public comment hearing.

But others described the controversial transmission project as essential for lower-cost, reliable electricity saving large users millions of dollars. And they said it would help offset global warming and provide opportunities for union workers to find work near their homes instead of traveling to other states.

Opponents outnumbered supporters among the 30 or so speakers, but not by the 10-to-one ratio in 1,300 plus written comments submitted to the committee.

Thomas Moulis of Ashland asked people to remember the state’s motto on license plates years ago. “Scenic” was great advertising, he said, and brought millions of visitors and dollars to New Hampshire making it very prosperous.

“You want to jeopardize this for $18 a year?” Moulis asked, referring to the proposed average savings for someone using 300 kilowatts of electricity a month. “It said scenic because we meant it. We should not give up on something God has given us.”

Click below to read the full story by Garry Rayno at InDepthNH.org