This town's representatives on Beacon Hill are joining the fight against a proposed power plant in South Walpole, according to one of their aides.
Mike Berry, legislative aide for state Rep. Jay Barrows, R-Mansfield, said his boss, state Rep. Richard Ross, R-Wrentham, and state Sen. James Timilty, D-Walpole, have begun talking about the proposal.
Ross and Timilty were on hand at a Dec. 4 meeting where selectmen said they would not negotiate a payment in lieu of taxes deal with Competitive Power Ventures. Competitive Power has proposed locating a 580-megawatt, gas-fired power plant at 33 Industrial Road in South Walpole.
At that December meeting, Timilty told the board he "will be more than happy to lead the fight" against the power plant.
In an interview Tuesday, Timilty vowed to stick by that pledge.
Barrows said he hopes Competitive Power Ventures looks elsewhere.
"Nobody has rolled out the red carpet for them," he said.
Barrows said he has received numerous calls from his constituents who do not want the plant built. Barrows represents all precincts in the town of Foxboro, which is about a mile away from Industrial Road.
"It certainly doesn't stay within the borders (of Walpole)," Barrows said, referring to emissions and other potential pollutants.
Barrows said recent talks have prompted him to do further research.
"We've got more studying to do," he said, acknowledging he's not a power plant expert. "We'll do our due diligence."
Even if Walpole shoots down the proposal, Competitive Power can ask the Mass. Energy Siting board for the go-ahead to build.
Berry said he represented Barrows at a Dec. 11 meeting in Foxboro where selectmen informally discussed the power plant.
The subject has been placed on the Foxboro selectmen's agenda for Jan. 22, according to the Foxboro selectmen's office. Timilty said he expects to attend.
Berry, a Walpole resident and School Committee member, said he has been following the power plant proposal closely, both as concerned citizen and an elected official.
"It's slowly become an issue not only to Walpole but several other communities in the area," he said.
After attending the Walpole selectmen's meeting in December, Timilty said it was clear the town is against the proposal and his job is to defend its interests. By their vote, Timilty said, selectmen told him they were against the power plant and he was committed to representing that standard on the state level.
Berry said the legislators will take up the charge when the process reaches a "level where our services are required."
He also believes the vast majority of legislators would support Barrows, Timilty and Ross.
