Watch: Don't Do It, Charlie!
/350 Mass created a fun, short video explaining Gov. Baker's pipeline tax and why we must oppose it. Watch below and share with your friends!
Gov. Baker Pushes for More Gas
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Last fall, the AG released a long-awaited study about the need for more natural gas. The results? We simply don't need anymore gas. So, why is Governor Baker pushing for more natural gas in his energy plan? His plans will thwart any progress on emission reduction and will make it nearly impossible for the state to reach it's own emission reduction mandates by 2020. The SJC court just approved a decision that would require the state to reduce emissions 25% below 1990 levels by 2020. We need to be pushing for more renewables, like solar and wind, not toxic and dangerous fossil fuels.
Read the complete story in the Patriot Ledger.
Read MoreSen. Warren Pushes for Reform of FERC
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FERC, as you likely know, is a rogue agency. They are funded by the agencies that they oversee, which creates a serious conflict of interest. So we need to fix FERC. Senator Elizabeth Warren is co-sponsoring a bill that would give the public more say over projects, like gas pipelines. Though this is a good initiative, it's not likely that this bill pass in time to be of much help for the fight against the compressor station and pipeline.
Read MoreSubmit Comments to MEPA
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The Town of Weymouth has sent a Request for Advisory Opinion to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs for a MEPA (Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act) review. Sec. Beaton of MEPA has approved the Town's request and has opened a commenting period. Comments can submitted through June 28.
Read MoreSpecial Lecture with BU Professor on 6/20
/MARK YOUR CALENDARS - SPECIAL EVENT AT THOMAS CRANE LIBRARY, 6/20!
Pipelines are a common way to transport fuel long distances. They carry highly pressurized gas and oil hundreds of miles and many people are concerned about their impact on the communities they cut across. What is the problem? Come hear two local experts discuss the local importance of this issue from two different directions. Dr. Phillips's research starts with leaking small pipes and their links to the large infrastructure. Dr. Soleau will bring a higher-level perspective and discuss the big energy future issues facing Massachusetts, especially the pipeline and compressor station projects affecting 55 cities and towns, including greater Boston. There will also be some discussion about alternatives to these gas projects.
Nathan Phillips is an ecologist & Professor in the Boston University Department of Earth & Environment. He led the first study of its kind to map over 3,000 gas leaks in Boston. Dr. Phillips holds a PhD from Duke University and a BS in Physics from California State University, Sacramento. Tyler Soleau is the Outreach Director at Acadia Center, raising awareness, building networks, and advancing clean energy programs throughout the Northeast. Previously, he worked as the Staff Director and Counsel for the Massachusetts House Committee on Climate Change. Tyler holds a JD from Vermont Law School and a BA in Government and Environmental Studies from Hamilton College.
This program is co-sponsored by the Quincy Climate Action Network (QCAN) and Fore River Residents Against the Compressor Station (FRRACS).
Date:
Monday Jun 20, 2016
Time:
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Contact:
Thomas Crane Library 617-376-1316
Location:
Main Library Community Meeting Room (ground floor)
DOE: LNG Has NO Benefit on Climate
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The Department of Energy has released a report stating that LNG (liquefied natural gas) is likely damaging to the climate and will not lower emissions.
In an article in Think Progress, "One of the country’s leading experts on natural gas leaks [said], “a close reading of the DOE report in the context of the recent literature indicates that exporting natural gas from the U.S. as LNG is a very poor idea.”
Read MoreFracking Ban Bill Introduced to Senate
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A 10-year moratorium on fracking bill (S 457) in Mass will be heard at the Senate floor session on June 9. Stay tuned for updates.
Read MoreGas Leaks Vanishing from Official Documents
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From the Boston Globe:
"Thousands of natural gas leaks reported by the state’s utility companies disappeared from the records they later submitted to the state, according to an independent analysis by a Cambridge group that says their study shows the leaks have likely not been repaired.
Nearly 5,700 potentially explosive, environmentally damaging leaks — nearly 30 percent of all leaks that went unrepaired in 2014 — vanished from the utilities’ reported count between the last day of that year and the first day of 2015, according to a study of data the companies disclosed in March, the most recent public information."
Read MoreLandowners in KY Win Case Against Eminent Domain
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Excerpt from the Courier-Journal. Read the full article here.
"The Kentucky Supreme Court has let an appeals court decision stand that only regulated utilities can use the power of eminent domain to get land for pipelines.
That decision deals a blow to companies looking to lay new pipeline to carry natural gas liquids from through Kentucky from oil and gas fields in Ohio and western Pennsylvania to the refineries and ports along the Gulf Coast because it will make it more difficult and expensive to get the land they need. That became a controversial across Kentucky in recent years amid a boom brought on by new drilling methods using hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, with concerns about property values, safety, water pollution and property rights.
Read MoreAction Alert: Canvass Tomorrow
/OPPORTUNITY--OPPORTUNITY--OPPORTUNITY
FRRACS will be canvassing in Weymouth on Saturday in conjunction with 350MA for the coordinated "Don't do it, Charlie!" campaign. We will be dropping "energy bills" to residents to warn them about the pipeline tax that Gov. Baker is forwarding.
Details:
When-Saturday June 4, 2016
Meet at Staples on 3A--over to the right by the trees.
Time-12 to 2
Maps and flyers will be supplied
Leader-Rachel W.
Hope to see many of you there! Thank you for your activism!
Boston Globe Reader Polls
/The Boston Globe has two online polls regarding natural gas expansion in Massachusetts. Share your voice and let them know that you don't support new natural gas infrastructure.
Poll 1:
Poll 2: Should the state advocate against further construction of natural gas pipelines?
Activists Delay Pipeline Projects
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They may have the money, but we have the grit and people power to fight back. A recent article from E&E Publishing said that activists have delayed pipeline projects by "throw[ing] up more regulatory and legal roadblocks." The amount of time that it takes a company to go from proposal of a project to operation has increased from 3 years to 4 years.
Read MoreSenate Approves Pipeline Ban
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Excerpt from the Mass Live article. Read the full story here.
"The Massachusetts state Senate has approved a ban on building pipelines within 1,000 feet of a residential neighborhood, a school, or a senior center. The ban was adopted as part of the Senate's version of the fiscal 2017 state budget.
Read MoreAction Alert: FERC Commenting Period Ends Soon
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Final count down for commenting!
Access Northeast Scoping Period (pipeline/expanding compressor station). Docket PF16-1. Deadline is Tuesday May 31.
Atlantic Bridge Environmental Assessment (building a compressor station). Docket CP16-9. Deadline is Wednesday June 1.
www.ferc.gov
Thank you for Marching Against Spectra!
/What a great event yesterday. We had over 50 people participate in the march who helped spread the word to passerbys. Take a look at photos from the event and stay tuned for more events happening this summer!
Photo cred: Micheal Curran
DeSmogBlog Uncovers Another Conflict of Interest with FERC
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FERC is more than a rubber-stamp agency; they excel in the "conflict of interest" genre. Read below and online at DeSmogBlog about their latest bombshell.
Read MoreCreative Action by Protesters in NY
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Efforts to block pipelines are growing throughout in the country. In Peekshill, NY, protesters blockaded the path of a planned gas pipeline that is slated to run near a nuclear power plant. Their action was covered by Democracy Now.
Read MoreAction Alert: Send FERC Comments to all Commissioners
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ALERT--ALERT--ALERT
In light of the recent articles regarding conflict of interest between FERC and Spectra, it has been suggested that people not only send their comment on the Atlantic Bridge EA to the FERC site or general snail mail address, but individually to each commissioner.
Read MoreNH Improperly Charged New England Ratepayers
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So a utility built a pipeline tax into their rate increase without permission? Who'd a thunk?!
Full article from Mass.gov below:
"New Hampshire Transmission (NHT) will refund New England ratepayers $6.8 million, with $3.2 million going to Massachusetts electric ratepayers, to settle allegations that the company improperly included millions of dollars of development costs in its transmission rates, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.
Read MoreImportant: FERC/Spectra Conflict of Interest Revealed
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DeSmogBLog has uncovered a serious conflict of interest between FERC and Spectra. We greatly appreciate their investigation on this issue. This could be big, so please share.
Full article below and online at DeSmogBlog.
Read More