Sea-3 Project Raises Concerns

The Newington Planning Board holds a public hearing Monday night on the proposal by Sea-3 to reconfigure its terminal to accommodate Liquefied Petroleum Gas shipments via rail.

While the Portsmouth City Council is also scheduled to meet May 5, the Sea-3 project is squarely on its radar. Assistant Mayor Jim Splaine has sent the Newington Planning Board a letter urging the board to reject the expansion.

He cited concerns about "additional transportation of rail cars containing propane on tracks of inferior quality through Portsmouth's neighborhoods and downtown." 

If Newington does grant approval for the Sea-3 project at 190 Shattuck Way, Splaine has also said the city of Portsmouth should consider any legal action available to stop the expansion.

The Newington Planning Board public hearing is at 6:30 Monday night.

Splaine's positions are in letters accompanying the Portsmouth City Council's agenda for its Monday night meeting.

In other news, Portsmouth city councilors will get an update on the nomination for downtown Portsmouth to be on the National Register of Historic Places.

Peter Michaud of the state Division of Historical Resources is scheduled to provide the update. Division of Historical Resources is preparing the nomination through funding as part of the mitigation for the replacement of the Memorial Bridge.

Grants for approval include $35,000 from the Department of Justice for the Victim/Witness advocate position. Other grants to the Portsmouth Police Department, from the state Highway Safety Agency:

• $6,864 for Portsmouth DWI/DUI patrols.
• $6,864 for two sobriety checkpoints.
• $6,864 for two sobriety checkpoints.
• $5,148 for Pedestrian Patrols.
• $5,148 for Red Light Running Patrols 
• $5,148 for Enforcement Patrols 
• $2,808 Join the Clique Seat Belt Campaign