Controversial Manchester-Boston Regional Airport solar panels to be moved

March 13--CONCORD -- The Executive Council in a 3-1 vote on Wednesday approved a plan to reposition solar panels at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, but not without protest from Republican Councilor Chris Sununu of Newfields.

The panels have to be moved at a cost of $1.9 million because of glare affecting the vision of air traffic controllers.

"It's no secret that when this first came up in 2011, I was vehemently against it then, and I am even more against it now," he said of the project, which will end up costing $3.8 million when all is said and done.

"We are investing more than $3 million to save the airport $100,000 a year in electricity," Sununu said.

The FAA will contribute $500,000 to the project, with the airport contributing $25,000.

The rest of the $1.9 million will come from Chubb, the insurance company for the project consultants, Harris, Mill, Mill & Hanson of Burlington, Mass."They made a mistake. They said the original position would not create glare, and it did," explained Airport Director Mark Brewer, who said HMM&H "wrote the book" on solar projects for the FAA.

As a result of the Manchester experience, he said the FAA has launched a new program to monitor glare created by solar panels.The project is almost entirely federally funded through the air quality improvement surcharge on airline tickets, and is intended to reduce emissions, not achieve huge savings in energy consumption, Brewer said.

Sununu's comments prompted a brief debate on the indirect benefits of the project.

"I for one am looking for a reduction of expenses associated with asthma and other illness linked to poor air quality," said Gov. Maggie Hassan.

Sununu said he is all for improved air quality, but called the Manchester project, "fiscally silly," given the 30 years of energy savings it will take to recoup the cost of installation and repair.

Councilor Colin Van Ostern, D-Concord, referenced the poor air quality in China that has people wearing masks. "To describe this as fiscally silly ignores the very significant consequences of the emissions that have been discussed," he said.

Councilor Chris Pappas, D-Manchester, said the FAA created the fund, financed by ticket-buyers, for air quality improvement. If New Hampshire passes up the money, it will just go to another state, he said.

"Return on investment is not the best way to look at this," he said. "It's about air quality. This money is available for mitigation and we should take it."

The council also:

-- ?Authorized the Insurance Department to spend a $2 million federal grant on consultants to help the department evaluate health insurance policies to be offered by companies that avoided the New Hampshire online exchange this year, but are expected to jump in next year. The vote was 3-1, with Sununu in opposition.

-- ?Accepted Hassan's nomination of Deputy State Treasurer William F. Dwyer of Gilford to serve as commissioner of the treasury.

dsolomon@unionleader.com

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