Conservation Commission Unanimously Approves New England Power Transmission Line Permits

Conservation · Meeting of March 4, 2026

Tewksbury Conservation Commission approves New England Power transmission line permits affecting 8.27 acres. The commission voted unanimously Wednesday to issue a notice of intent and land disturbance permit for DEP file number 305-1226, allowing New England Power Company to begin access road and work pad improvements along its transmission line right-of-way as early as this fall, with full tower replacement work to follow over a projected five to six years across six towns. Allison Milliman of BSC Group, presenting for the applicant, said aging wood and steel lattice structures on the 345-kilovolt line will be replaced with steel towers on concrete caisson foundations, with permanent wetland impacts offset by a 3-to-1 replication plan near Power Company Road.

Abutter Ed Johnson of 44 McNeil Way challenged the company's cleanup history, told the commission old replacement poles from a prior project "are still in my yard, 20 years later," and called for a performance bond. The commission added a condition requiring dewatering activity to be documented in monthly status reports to the conservation agent.

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Source: the Conservation meeting of March 4, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.