This Compressor Station poses a serious threat to the health, safety, environment, and economy of the South Shore.
Enbridge*, a Canadian energy company, recently completed construction of a 7,700-horsepower Fracked-Gas Compressor Station adjacent to the new Fore River Bridge in North Weymouth. This station will adversely affect South Shore residents, unless we can stop it from operating.
This facility has no business being in this location - or any location. Compressors are usually built in rural areas given their environmental, health, and safety risks. The Weymouth Compressor Station has been built in the most densely populated location ever in a coastal area in the United States. The compressor is not needed in the Basin or anywhere else.
This compressor is part of the Atlantic Bridge pipeline project, which Enbridge built to bring fracked gas through New England and into Canada. The compressor was also a component of the Access Northeast project, which would have expanded the compressor to 18,600HP. Access Northeast was withdrawn on June 29, 2017.
This compressor station will create air, noise, and odor problems that will affect residents in Weymouth, Quincy, Braintree, and the South Shore. Compressors pose a serious health risk, especially when in such close proximity to a dense residential area. There's also a history of catastrophic accidents at similar Compressors that could paralyze traffic, devastate our waterfront, and put residents at serious risk.
There was no public vote and limited public input in this process. The fight against the compressor began in late 2015. Over that time, local residents and supporters joined the ongoing opposition to ensure that our voices were heard. Join us as we continue to ask our Local, State, and Federal governments and regulatory agencies to put a stop to this foolish idea (yes, although it’s been built, it can still be stopped from operating).
*Enbridge merged with Spectra Energy in 2017, making it one of the largest oil and gas companies in North America. Though the two have merged under the name of Enbridge, you may continue to see the name “Spectra” throughout our site and publications.
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What Is a Compressor Station?
Compressor Stations are part of Enbridge’s pipeline running from New Jersey to Canada. Compressors help move fracked gas along the system, and must be installed every 40-to-100 miles. During normal operations, compressor stations emit air and noise pollution. More serious impacts are felt during periodic blowdowns, during which millions of cubic-feet of untreated natural gas are released into the air.
Where Is the Compressor located on the South Shore?
The compressor site is directly adjacent to the new Fore River Bridge in North Weymouth. The site is within 1/2-mile of 900+ homes in Weymouth and Quincy, and the deleterious effects will be felt throughout the South Shore. Similar stations are usually built on 50+ acre parcels, far removed from residential communities. This site is 4-acres, and unprecedentedly close to thousands of residents.
Learn More About the Location and Reach of Impact...
• 3,100 Kids Within 1 Mile
• Increased Asthma & Cancer
• Loud, Unannounced Releases
• A Permeating "Gas Smell"
• Property Value Decreases
• Tax Base Erosion
• Transportation Risks
• A History of Accidents
What Are The Risks of a Compressor Station being built here?
Compressor stations are usually built in rural locations because of their environmental impacts, including air, noise, and odor pollution concerns. There's also a scary track record of accidents, not to mention the periodic blowdowns that will disrupt residents and cause unknown health impacts.
What a Compressor Station "blowdown" looks and sounds like
Enbridge talks a lot about normal daily operations, and downplays the periodic blowdowns that occur at all Compressor Stations. These are done for maintenance, to relieve gas pressure, or in the case of an emergency. During a blowdown, untreated fracked gas will be blown into the air and into our communities with unknown health impacts.
Are Compressor Stations Safe? NO.
Under normal circumstances, maybe. But there is a proven record of fire and explosions at Compressor Stations across the country. If a similar incident happened at the proposed Weymouth location, it would have enormous impacts on the surrounding community.
This video is from the Falcon Fracked Gas Compressor Station in Pinedale, Wyoming. On December 6th, 2011 it caught fire and exploded during a "normal venting operation." An incident like this would require massive evacuations and the shut-down of Route 3A.
Will My Home Be Affected?
There are 900+ property owners within 1/2 mile of the site. But the impacts would be felt much further than that. For example, the smell of natural gas will reach Hingham and Hull (and perhaps beyond). The Compressor will also decrease property values and erode our tax base, while significantly burdening our public services– and with little-to-no benefit for local residents. Towns will see a decreased tax base, which means lower budgets for municipal services.
What Is Being Done To Stop The Weymouth Compressor Station?
Even after six years, there is a growing coalition working to stop this madness! Join us!
There was no public vote. The Town of Weymouth put up a fight for many years but in late 2020, Mayor Hedlund accepted a $10M payout from Enbridge in exchange for dropping all lawsuits. This fight now lands on hands of FRRACS, the City of Quincy, and the Town of Braintree. This project was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in 2019. FERC is a federal agency that has continually approved these stations, despite local opposition nationwide.
It is important that we continue to organize and mobilize the opposition to ensure that the compressor does not operate for long. Join the mailing list to be kept up-to-date.
Opponents of the Weymouth Compressor Station
Join the growing network of Citizens, Politicians, Organizations, and Businesses who are standing up in opposition to this Compressor Station being built in North Weymouth.
