New England Public Radio

Deadline For Pipeline Comments Extended

A deadline for public comments on a proposed natural gas pipeline in New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire will be extended. That’s the word from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the agency that will decide the fate of the pipeline. The deadline was previously set for Monday, but the agency is extending it to accommodate a yet-to-be-scheduled final public hearing in Cheshire County, New Hampshire. Even after that hearing, FERC spokesperson Tamara Young-Allen says regulators will still accept comments.

“Any comments submitted after that announced date will be accepted and reviewed by FERC staff. It won’t be deemed late or given a diminished review just because it was filed late,” Young-Allen says. “It’s not like school or some other federal agencies.”

Pipeline company Kinder Morgan plans to formally submit its application to FERC later this fall.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said FERC would “likely” extend the deadline. But by the time the story was posted on our website and aired on the radio, the deadline had already been extended.

Conversation with Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy on Pedro Martinez’s Hall of Fame Induction

On Sunday, July 26th, 2015, in Cooperstown, New York, former Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

To put the right-hander’s pitching accomplishments into context, New England Public Radio’s Carrie Healy talked to veteran Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy. He explains what the 1997 trade for Martinez meant for the Dan Douquette-era Red Sox.

Is The Northeast Casino Market Getting Too Crowded?

This week, MGM broke ground on its casino in Springfield. When it opens in late 2017, the western Massachusetts resort may find itself in the middle of a region stacked with casinos. New York has already approved new casinos and New Hampshire lawmakers are once again talking about getting in the game. Last week a Connecticut legislative committee advanced a bill to allow three new mini-casinos.  This comes as revenue has declined at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods. So, is the casino market in the northeast too crowded?

“It’s starting to become over-saturated,” says Father Richard McGowan, an economics professor at Boston College who’s studied gambling.

To hear my conversation with Father Richard McGowan, click on the audio player above.