Docket No 217 Decision Order

DOCKET NO. 217 - Northeast Utilities Service Company application for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need for the construction of a 345-kV electric transmission line and reconstruction of an existing 115-kV electric transmission line between The Connecticut Light and Power Company's Plumtree Substation in Bethel, through the Towns of Redding, Weston, and Wilton, and to Norwalk Substation in Norwalk, Connecticut.

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Connecticut

Siting

Council

March 25, 2003

Decision and Order

On October 15, 2001, the Applicant, Northeast Utilities Service Company, acting on behalf of The Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P), filed an application for construction of a new 345 kV line and reconstruction of an existing 115 kV line from CL&P's Plumtree Substation in Bethel, Connecticut to Norwalk Substation in Norwalk, Connecticut.

On March 17, 2003, the applicant and the towns of Bethel, Redding, Weston and Wilton (the Towns) filed a proposed alternative configuration for the lines from Bethel to Norwalk (Joint Filing) which varies in Route and configuration from that proposed in the original application. The Joint Filing is different from any configuration seen during the many days of the proceedings.

Because of additional aspects of the Joint Filing that were not covered during the hearings already held on this docket, further proceedings will be necessary before a decision can be rendered on the Joint Filing and it is anticipated that this docket will be reopened for that purpose. Without a full record to support consideration of the implications of the Joint Filing, the Council cannot issue any Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need at this time.

Therefore, the Council declines to issue a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need for the construction of a 345-kV electric transmission line and reconstruction of an existing 115-kV electric transmission line between CL&P's Plumtree Substation in Bethel, through the Towns of Redding, Weston, and Wilton, and to Norwalk Substation in Norwalk, Connecticut for the original application in light of the Joint Filing.

This final decision is issued without prejudice to the Application including all proceedings in this matter and the Joint Filing, which may be reconsidered at a subsequent date.

By this Decision and Order, the Council disposes of the legal rights, duties, and privileges of each party named or admitted to the proceeding in accordance with Section 16-50j-17 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.

The parties and intervenors to this proceeding are:

Applicant

Northeast Utilities Service Company

Roger C. Zaklukiewicz
Vice President
Transmission Engineering and Operations
Northeast Utilities System
P.O. Box 270
Hartford , CT 06141-0270

Anthony M. Fitzgerald
Carmody & Torrance LLP
195 Church Street, 18^th Floor
P.O. Box 1950
New Haven, CT 06509-1950

Party	Town of Redding	David A. Ball, Esq. Monte E. Frank, Esq. Cohen and Wolf, P.C. 158 Deer Hill Avenue Danbury, CT 06810
Party	Town of Weston	David A. Ball, Esq. Monte E. Frank, Esq. Cohen and Wolf, P.C. 158 Deer Hill Avenue Danbury, CT 06810
Party	Town of Wilton	David A. Ball, Esq. Monte E. Frank, Esq. Cohen and Wolf, P.C. 1115 Broad Street, P.O. Box 1821 Bridgeport, CT 06601-1821
Intervenor	Pro Bethel Power Line	Geraldine F. Mills Pro Bethel Power Line 18 Taylor Avenue Bethel, CT 06801
Party	Town of Bethel	Lawrence J. Golden, Esq. Pullman & Comley, LLC 90 State House Square Hartford, CT 06103-3702
Party	Attorney General Richard Blumenthal	Michael C. Wertheimer Assistant Attorney General Office of the Attorney General 10 Franklin Square New Britain, CT 06051
Intervenor	Stephen Schwank 111 Redding Road Redding, CT 06896

Party	Communities for Responsible Energy, Inc.	Francis J. Collins, Esq. Thomas W. Beecher, Esq. Collins, Hannafin, Garamella, Jaber & Tuozzolo, P.C. 148 Deer Hill Avenue Danbury, CT 06810
Party	Woodlands Coalition for Responsible Energy, Inc.	Robert A. Forrester 36 High Acre Road Weston, CT 06883
Intervenor	Julia B. Wasserman AS OF State Representative 01/24/03* 106^th District STATUS P.O. Box 848 WITHDRAWN* 113 Walnut Tree Hill Road Sandy Hook, CT 06482
Party	Office of Consumer Counsel	Mary J. Healey, Consumer Counsel Bruce C. Johnson, Staff Attorney Office of the Consumer Counsel Ten Franklin Square New Britain, CT 06051
Intervenor	The United Illuminating Company	Linda L. Randell, Esq. Bruce L. McDermott, Esq. Wiggin & Dana, LLP One Century Tower New Haven, CT 06508-1832
Intervenor	ISO New England Inc.	Anthony M. Macleod, Esq. Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC 100 Field Point Road Greenwich, CT 06830

Party	Environment Northeast	Roger E. Koontz, Esq. 15 High Street Chester, CT 06412
Intervenor	First District Water Department	Franco Chieffalo Acting General Supervisor First District Water Department 12 New Canaan Avenue, P.O. Box 27 Norwalk, CT 06852
Intervenor	Dr. Richard J. Stein 61 Whortleberry Rd., P.O. Box 252 W. Redding, CT 06896
Party	William R. and Andrea R. Klancko 53 Pimpewaug Road Wilton, CT 06897
Intervenor	Redding Land Trust	Mary Anne Guitar, President Redding Land Trust 140 Old Redding Road West Redding, CT 06896
Intervenor	PSEG Power Connecticut LLC (formerly known as Wisvest-Connecticut, LLC)	Stephen J. Humes, Esq. Robert P. Wax, Esq. LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae L.L.P. Goodwin Square 225 Asylum Street, 13^th Floor Hartford, CT 06103
Intervenor	Connecticut Business & Industry Association	Robert E. Earley Staff Attorney Connecticut Business & Industry Assoc. 350 Church Street Hartford, CT 06103-1126

Intervenor	City of Norwalk	Louis S. Ciccarello Corporation Counsel Norwalk City Hall P.O. Box 798 Norwalk, CT 06856-0798
Intervenor	Norwalk River Watershed Association, Inc.	Lillian B. Willis President and Agent for Service NRWA 248 Farmingville Road Ridgefield, CT 06877
Party	Mark R. and Brenda C. Froehlich 46 Pimpewaug Road Wilton, CT 06897
Party	Toby Gregory and Taber J.S. Meier Gregory's Sawmill, LLC #3 and #25 Pimpewaug Road Wilton, CT 06897
Party	Konstantinos Athanasiou and Mary Ellen Athanasiou 51 Pimpewaug Road Wilton, CT 06897
Intervenor	Connecticut Fund for the Environment	Penny H. Anthopolos Staff Attorney Connecticut Fund for the Environment 205 Whitney Avenue New Haven, CT 06511