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New access road planned for LNG site

by | Sep 13, 2018 | Featured

Eversource Energy has submitted a Notice of Intent (NOI) to both the town Planning Board and Conservation Commission for construction of a Secondary Access Road Project at the existing Hopkinton Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Facility at 55 Wilson St.

The proposed access road will run from Legacy Farms Road North (formerly Rafferty Road) south toward the existing LNG facility and will necessitate a stream crossing adjacent to Legacy Farms Road North.

“Providing a secondary access road off Legacy Farms Road North will provide an additional access point for emergency vehicles as requested by the town,” according to a filed document.

Initial hearings will be held by the Planning Board Monday, Sept. 17, and by the Conservation Commission Tuesday, Sept. 18.

Eversource plans to notify all abutters prior to those dates.

Eversource, through its subsidiary Hopkinton LNG Corporation (HopCo), operates an existing LNG facility vaporization and natural gas liquefaction facility. The site is comprised of two parcels, one on the west side of Wilson Street (55 Wilson St.) and the other on the east side of Wilson Street (52 Wilson St.).

The facility provides a backup supply of independent natural gas for Eversource customers, and helps to maintain seasonal natural gas price stability.

“As the largest natural gas supply system peak-shaving plant facility in New England, the facility supplements natural gas supply about 20 to 30 days per year through the process of liquefying pipeline natural gas and placing the LNG into storage tanks during low demand seasons (spring, summer, and fall) for re-vaporization during the peak demand season (winter),” according to an Eversource document.

The plan calls for construction of a 20-foot wide gravel access road, a perimeter chain-link fence, a stream crossing adjacent to Legacy Farms Road North, and additional stormwater management features to manage storm water associated with the proposed access road.

“Providing a secondary access road off Legacy Farms Road North will provide an additional access point for emergency vehicles as requested by the town,” the document read.

The project is proposed to be constructed north and west of the existing LNG tanks at 55 Wilson St.

The portion of the new road entrance at Legacy Farm North Road is forested, and then the proposed access road ties into the existing gravel access road, according to reports. Additional grading of the existing road is proposed and the existing fence line will be maintained for the majority of the road. The total project-related disturbance is 1.93 acres.

The new road would be located at the northeast corner of 55 Wilson St., abutting Legacy Farms Road North, between the property line and the chain-link fence surrounding the existing LNG tanks and extend southward from Legacy Farms Road North toward the existing tanks.

The area is wooded and includes an intermittent stream and 100-foot buffer zone, all of which are regulated under town and state wetlands protection laws.

Abutting lands north and west are owned by HopCo and are primarily undeveloped forest, with the Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton and the Hopkinton State Park located west of the site near the intersection of Legacy Farms Road North and Cedar Street.

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