Should You Have To Pay To Build A New Gas Pipeline?

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Massachusetts. It oversees and regulates public utility companies that distribute electric power, natural gas, and water to Massachusetts citizens. 

Utility companies submit petitions (also called dockets) to the DPU regarding rates and operational contracts. The current dockets include a provision that ratepayers pay for the cost of new pipeline construction ($8 to $9 billion) through a surcharge on our electric utility bill. This is an unprecedented financial model, one that many claim is illegal. 

There are is currently two one new gas pipeline system under consideration —Kinder Morgan Northeast Energy Direct in the west, and Spectra Energy Access Northeast in the east. The pipeline company justifies these new systems with “peak demand” (at most, 30 days per year). 

In November 2015 the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office published findings from a thorough study and stated that other measures, such as energy efficiency, demand response through distributed grid, and renewables, would be more cost effective and far more environmentally responsible than new gas pipeline 

The DPU weighs citizen input through written comments and public hearings. If you don’t want to pay to construct dangerous, unnecessary, and environmentally irresponsible new gas pipelines, now is your opportunity to voice your opinion.

The hearings listed below are Final Public Hearings, so this will be your last chance to speak out.

TO PROVIDE WRITTEN COMMENTS:

You can write multiple e-mails/letters, choosing and expanding a topic for each one. You can send the same e-mail/letter for all three dockets. 

For each docket, 

a. Submit written comments to the Hearing Officer identified in the respective notice

b. Copy dpu.efiling@state.ma.us on the Hearing Officer e-mail

c. Put the docket identification as underlined in the subject line of the e-mail

d. Mail a hard copy to: 

Mark D. Marini, Secretary
Department of Public Utilities
One South Station
Boston, MA 02110

THE DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS IS THE DATE OF THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING

1. National Grid: DPU Docket 16-05 Access Northeast - May 3, Stoughton High School, 7 p.m. Hearing Officer, David Gold, david.j.gold@state.ma.us
2. National Grid: DPU Docket 16-07 Northeast Energy Direct - May 11, Timony Grammar School, Methuen, 7 p.m. Hearing Officer, Jeffrey Leupold, Jeffrey.Leupold@state.ma.us
3. Eversource: DPU Docket #15-181 Access Northeast - May 23, Walpole High School, 7 p.m.  Hearing Officer, Laura Koepnick, Laura.Koepnick@state.ma.us

The DPU weighs citizen input through written comments and public hearings. If you don’t want to pay to construct dangerous, unnecessary, and environmentally irresponsible new gas pipelines, now is your opportunity to voice your opinion. 

The hearings listed below are Final Public Hearings, so this will be your last chance to speak out.

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