Letter: Northern Pass will put New Hampshire to work

I drive more than two hours from my home in Dalton to work in Manchester because of an inability to find a good job in my profession in the North Country.

I also have friends in Dalton who are without work or underpaid in jobs outside of their fields. The lack of consistent work and adequate pay in our region is disheartening.

I hate seeing these families struggle throughout the year. How do some people, who claim they want work and an improved economy in our region, push away and discredit opportunity when it arises?

The Northern Pass project, which will bring approximately 1,200 good-paying jobs to the state, offering them first to New Hampshire workers, will also benefit the economies of towns along the route. Men and women who will work on the project will live in our area, eat in our restaurants, buy supplies at local stores and spend money in various ways throughout our towns. Just like Burgess BioPower construction did for Berlin.

And the idea that one power line is going to destroy North Country tourism doesn’t make sense. The North Country is huge, with tourism spots spread out far and wide. The vast majority of our visitors will never see the line. I also see the Northern Pass as a smart way to bring clean hydropower to New Hampshire and New England – something we desperately need to increase our dwindling supply of energy as well as benefit our environment.

CAROLYN TOWNE

Dalton