In the fall of 2014, the Public Service Board (PSB) appointed a Working Group to investigate the use of pentachlorophenol on utility poles. Part of the motivation for the investigation was that a drinking water spring in Monkton was badly contaminated by pentachlorophenol as the result of pole replacement activity by VELCO during their power line upgrade along the course of the pipeline construction route. The Town of Monkton requested and was granted that a representative from the Town be included on the Working Group, which was composed of four state agencies or departments, four utility representatives, and four other stakeholders. In July of 2015 the Work Group finalized a draft report, which was then reviewed internally by the Agency of Natural Resources staff and counsel. The final draft report was submitted to the PSB on April 27, 2016, and has been posted to the PSB’s website (http://psb.vermont.gov/docketsandprojects/electric/8310).
The public comment period is open until June 8, 2016; please feel free to contact Monkton’s representative on the Working Group Deb Gaynor (dgaynor@monktonvt.com) with questions, and please do submit comments on the report to the PSB.