Showing posts with label pipeline. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pipeline. Show all posts

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Upcoming Energy Facilities Siting Board Hearings

Having seen that a recent pipeline explosion on the Spectra pipeline can happen, you can take action to see that the pipeline expansion doesn't come to Franklin.


  • If you missed the pipeline explosion news check this

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/05/explosion-in-spectras-pennsylvania.html


What can you do?

Energy Facilities Siting Board Hearings: The Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB), www.mass.gov/eea/energy-utilities-clean-tech/energy-facilities-siting-board , has scheduled an opportunity for the public to receive updated information concerning the Access Northeast Project, to ask questions and to provide input to the Siting Board. 

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the FERC, is the primary permitting authority with regard to Access Northeast. The Massachusetts EFSB participates in FERC proceedings involving natural gas pipelines in order to represent the interests of the Commonwealth and its residents. The details concerning the Energy Facilities Siting Board’s public hearings are noted below.


  • Monday, May 9, 2016, 7:00 pm

Walpole High School Auditorium
275 Common Street
Walpole, MA 02081


  • Wednesday, May 11, 2016, 7:00 pm

Abigail Adams Middle School Auditorium
89 Middle Street East
Weymouth, MA 02189


  • Thursday, May 12, 2016, 7:00 pm

Ford Middle School Auditorium
708 Middle Road
Acushnet, MA 02743


Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities: The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities is holding hearings to charge all electric ratepayers a tariff for the Spectra Access Northeast pipeline construction. 

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

1. Eversource: DPU Docket #15-181 Access Northeast - May 23, Walpole High School, 7 p.m. Hearing Officer, Laura Koepnick, Laura.Koepnick@state.ma.us
CC: dpu.efiling@state.ma.us Comments due by the end of Hearing.

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

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: In addition, the FERC is expected to schedule Scoping Hearings in Massachusetts in mid to late May, (TBA).

fire from pipeline explosion in Sandusky PA (Sandusky Register photo)
fire from pipeline explosion in Sandusky PA (Sandusky Register photo)

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Explosion in Spectra's Pennsylvania pipeline


Dear Franklin Town Councilor, 
I'm attaching an article about the Spectra pipeline explosion that occurred in Pennsylvania on April 29, 2016. The preliminary opinion is that it was caused by corrosion. 
According to Spectra it had been inspected 2 years prior to the event. The 30" pipe was scarily similar to the one through Franklin; bare steel more than 50 years old. Imagine this happening in Franklin 20' from the new proposed pipeline. 
Please don't let this happen here! Please join Sharon and Walpole by going on the record against it. 
Sincerely, 
Jim Hill 
5 Gloucester Dr.
fire from pipeline explosion in Sandusky PA (Sandusky Register photo)
fire from pipeline explosion in Sandusky PA (Sandusky Register photo)



http://www.sanduskyregister.com/Business/2016/05/05/Pipeline-company-deals-with-explosion-in-Pennsylvania






You'll recall that Jim spoke during the Citizens Comment portion of the Town Council Feb 3, 2016 meeting warning that such an explosion was possible:



Monday, April 25, 2016

In the News: Mac City showcases its offering, Spectra pipeline activity picking up



"As Paul Sullivan serves up a golden, gooey helping of his gourmet mac and cheese, he cannot stress enough the freshness of his recipe. When tasters wrap the four-cheese blend of white and sharp cheddar, Swiss and Monterrey jack around their forks, they tell him they couldn't agree more. 
Sullivan's new restaurant, Mac City, was one of 20 local eateries represented at this year's Taste of Holliston, a food-tasting event for local restaurants to show off their finest menu items and meet residents who will hopefully go on to become loyal customers. 
After opening Mac City in Franklin earlier this month, taking over the former Mac Deli space and completely revamping the menu, this is Sullivan's first Taste of Holliston. With his classic mac and cheese recipe and a chicken-broccoli mix, he gained a lot of new fans around town. 
"It's important to be seen and to get your name out there," he said. "We're not your average sub and pizza place and we pride ourselves on being as fresh as possible."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160424/taste-of-holliston-event-introduces-new-restaurants

Mac City, on West Central St in downtown Franklin
Mac City, on West Central St in downtown Franklin


"The proposed Kinder Morgan natural gas pipeline along the state’s northern border died as an idea last week, but the Spectra pipeline slated to run through the Milford area shows no signs of succumbing to the same fate. 
In fact, activity around Spectra’s Algonquin Gas pipeline is starting to pick up.
Town halls in all the communities affected (Medway, Bellingham, Franklin, Millis, Milford and Upton) were slapped with legal notices late last week detailing some upcoming hearings. The public hearings, held by the Massachusetts Energy Facility Siting Board, provide an opportunity for concerned residents, property abutters and local officials to make a case for or against the pipeline. The hearings are one piece in a complex puzzle of hearings and document filings that Spectra must go through to get state and federal approval."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160424/milford-as-kinder-morgan-pipeline-proposal-falls-spectra-picks-up

lawn sign in Franklin
lawn sign in Franklin 

Thursday, April 21, 2016

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.

lawn sign in Franklin
lawn sign in Franklin

Oh. My. God. Kinder Morgan has indefinitely suspended the Northeast Direct pipeline!

Everyone,

UNBELIEVABLY WONDERFUL NEWS!  
Kinder Morgan has indefinitely suspended the Northeast Direct pipeline!  That doesn't mean it couldn't come back, it could, but I'll take it for now!

http://www.wcvb.com/news/kinder-morgan-suspends-pipeline-project/39130214

Absolutely awesome!

We can do the same.  We need to have lots and lots of abutters deny/rescind their surveying permissions in case Spectra wants to change the route or decides, now that Kinder Morgan is at least temporarily out, to get greedy and add more bells and whistles and new routes.  We can kill this pipeline as well!

Carolyn

sign on Franklin lawn
sign on Franklin lawn

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Unrepaired Gas Leaks in Franklin


Each year consumers spend billions on thousands of natural gas leaks. Currently Franklin has 41 unrepaired gas leaks dating back to 2009. This is not only a financial issue for consumers but it is also a safety and environmental issue. I've provided two links concerning gas leaks. Please consider publishing this in Franklin Matters. 

Thank you, 

Jim Hill

#1

City Maps of Gas Leaks | HEET

this is a screen capture of  the interactive webpage marking known gas leaks for Franklin, MA
this is a screen capture of  the interactive webpage marking known gas leaks for Franklin, MA


#2


America Pays for Gas Leaks: Natural Gas Pipeline Leaks Cost Consumers Billions
A report prepared for Sen. Edward J. Markey; Released: August 1, 2013

http://www.markey.senate.gov/documents/markey_lost_gas_report.pdf

Or read the embedded document here:

VICTORY: Walpole Board of Selectmen pass two anti-pipeline motions!


Everybody,

OUTSTANDING NEWS!  Tonight (Tuesday) at the Walpole Board of Selectmen, after a Spectra presentation and question and answer period, proposed and passed two motions against the Access Northeast pipeline!

The wording of the motions are as follows:

MOTION moved that the Board of Selectmen strongly oppose any pipeline development within a 400-foot radius of any Town Well, as the siting of the pipeline in such close proximity to the Town's water supply would propose an unacceptable threat to public health as the contamination of the Town's drinking water supply would create incalculable damage to the public health, the natural environment and the built environment.  It is simply unacceptable and any new pipeline must be routed as far as possible from drinking water wells and other drinking water sources.
PASSED: 4 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSTENTION

MOTION that the Board of Selectmen votes to endorse the analysis and position of Attorney General Healey, as supported by the Regional Electric Reliability Options study, which concluded that new gas pipelines are not needed "to keep the lights on" and that, to the contrary, the region can maintain energy reliability through 2030 without any new gas pipelines; and furthermore, there are cheaper, less carbon-intensive options, than a new pipeline, better options such as energy efficiency and demand response, all less costly and less risk-intensive.
PASSED: 3 YES, 1 NO, 1 ABSTENTION

WOOHOO!  FIRST VICTORY ON THE Q1 LOOP!  CONGRATULATIONS, WALPOLE!

Please share this news with people in your towns as well as town leadership.  This is definitely a step in the right direction so let's see what other towns can get on board!

With gratitude,
Carolyn

lawn sign seen on Franklin lawns
lawn sign seen on Franklin lawns

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

"induced earthquakes will likely happen in the near future"

The Washington Post reports that the US Geological Survey (USGS) has updated their maps showing the increased likelihood of man-made earthquakes. 

"Earthquakes are a natural hazard — except when they're man-made. The oil and gas industry has aggressively adopted the technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to shatter subsurface shale rock and liberate the oil and gas lurking there. But the process results in tremendous amounts of chemical-laden wastewater. Horizontal drilling for oil can also produce massive amount of natural, unwanted salt water. The industry disposes of this wastewater by pumping it into deep wells. 
And the Earth moves."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/03/28/new-seismic-hazard-map-includes-fracking-related-quakes-for-the-first-time/


USGS map displaying 21 areas impacted by induced earthquakes as well as the location of the fluid injection wells that have and have not been associated with earthquakes. (Courtesy of USGS)
USGS map displaying 21 areas impacted by induced earthquakes as well as the location of the fluid injection wells that have and have not been associated with earthquakes. (Courtesy of USGS)

The USGS announcement of the press conference during which this data was released http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=4486&from=rss_home#.VvnG2vkrLIU


The Earthquake Hazards Program can be found here  http://earthquake.usgs.gov/

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Access Northeast Pipeline Forum - Apr 7


Join us for a free public forum to learn how the pipeline would affect us, why it’s not needed, and what you can do to stop it.


  • Thursday, April 7,   7-9pm


Sharon High School Auditorium
181 Pond Street
Sharon, MA
anti-pipeline sign on Franklin lawn
anti-pipeline sign on Franklin lawn





For additional info
http://www.nofrackedgasinmass.org/spectra-pipeline-open-houses/

http://sharon.wickedlocal.com/article/20151027/NEWS/151026193

http://www.spectraenergy.com/Operations/US-Natural-Gas-Operations/New-Projects-US/Access-Northeast/


Friday, March 25, 2016

Petition to Governor Baker Opposing New Gas Pipelines

Dear pipeline fighters:

I am attaching a petition that is being circulated state wide, that calls on Governor Baker to drop his support for new fracked-gas pipelines in Massachusetts. We want the Governor to know that we don't believe we need new multi-billion-dollar pipeline projects like the Spectra Access Northeast and Kinder Morgan Northeast Energy Direct, and that we resent being forced to pay for them through a surcharge on our electricity bills (a "pipeline tax").

I ask as many of you as possible to do the following:

  1. Print out the petition and sign it!
  2. Gather as many signatures as you can!
  3. Ask other people to also gather signatures, and give them copies of the petition!
  4. Send the petitions with signatures to the address below. It's also at the bottom of each page of the petition.

Please don't feel you have to fill every page before sending it in. Once you have gathered the signatures you are going to gather, send them in.

These petitions will be delivered to Governor Baker by some time in late May. The exact date is not completely clear yet.

The address to send them to is:

No Fracked Gas In Mass
90 Trow Road
Cummington MA 01026

Thank you so much! Anything you can do will make a difference!

sign on Franklin lawn
sign on Franklin lawn





Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Don't Make Us Pay for Pipelines -- Round Two!



Dear friends,

Screen_Shot_2016-02-17_at_5.47.02_PM.pngGovernor Charlie Baker doesn't just want to build massive new gas pipelines through our state. He wants all of us to pay for them through a charge added to our monthly electricity bills. For Massachusetts to have any hope of meeting its climate targets, we need to stop the pipelines -- and Charlie's plan to make us pay for them.

The Department of Public Utilities held a hearing about Charlie's pipeline proposal last week, and we stunned DPU officials by turning out in huge numbers, filling the hearing room, the overflow room, and even the hallways.

There's another hearing coming up on Thursday -- and we need to be there even louder, bigger and bolder than before! 
We'll have a street action outside (complete with a giant Charlie Baker puppet) and then deliver creative testimony at the hearing itself. Join us!

WHEN: 
1:00 pm, Thursday, March 10
WHERE TO MEET US: Join us for a street action starting at 1:00 pm right outside South Station. At 2:00, we'll go to the Department of Public Utilities for the hearing.

RSVP and get the full details here!We're determined to keep fighting Gov. Baker's pipeline rate hike in any way we can. In addition to these hearings, we've been bird-dogging Governor Baker, asking legislators and other elected officials to speak out, collecting petitions, and more. We need all the help we can get -- if you're interested in getting more involved, just let us know!

In solidarity,

Emily Kirkland
Director of Organizing for 350 Mass


Saturday, March 5, 2016

Public Forum on the Spectra Pipeline - April 7

The No Sharon Gas Pipeline organization is sponsoring a public forum for anyone in any of the nine affected towns. Anyone can attend this free and informative conference. 
The Franklin officials at the Town Hall have all received a personal invitation by now, but this forum is open to anyone who is concerned or interested in knowing more about it. 
Thanks.
Jim Hill





The flyer can also be downloaded from here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczTFVrUC1fUWNwYi1BQmdTbnF2eDUtSEQyV3RF/view?usp=sharing


For more about the No Sharon Gas Pipeline organization visit their web page
http://nosharongaspipeline.org/


Wednesday, March 2, 2016

"questions over the legality of Eversource’s petition"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin

"Eversource says a plan to build a natural gas pipeline across Massachusetts will save customers money; consumer and environmental activists say it will hurt ratepayers and the environment. But it ultimately will be up to the state Supreme Judicial Court to determine if it is legal. 
The utility wants to build the Access Northeast Project, an expansion of pipeline capacity to supply cheaper natural gas to fire the company’s electric generation stations. The plan includes a new liquefied natural gas facility in Acushnet. 
The proposed pipeline would extend through most of Massachusetts, including Medway and Upton. The company plans for ratepayers to finance the cost of the new pipeline project, which has been estimated to cost $3 billion."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160301/eversource-pipeline-plan-debated

screen grab of one of the slides from the Spectra Energy presnetayion
screen grab of one of the slides from the Spectra Energy presnetayion


Eversource is the parent company of Spectra Energy. Spectra is looking to add a 30" pipeline to the existing 24" pipeline running through parts of Franklin. The Spectra folks made their presentation to the Town Council meeting on Wed Feb 24. 


  • The video is available on the Franklin webpage 

http://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?&PGD=franknma&eID=331


  • My notes are available here




Friday, February 26, 2016

Real time reporting: Town Council Meeting - Feb 24, 2016

Present: Pellegri, Padula, Mercer (via phone), Vallee, Kelly, Pfeffer, Bissanti, Dellorco, Jones
Absent: none

 screen grab of Spectra Energy presentation via the video broadcast
screen grab of Spectra Energy presentation via the video broadcast

Here is the Storify capture of my notes for the meeting recorded via Twitter:
(be sure to scroll within the Storify widget to review all the entries)



screen grab of video replay for Town Council meeting 2/24/16
screen grab of video replay for Town Council meeting 2/24/16






There will be a Part 2 to cover the portion of the meeting missed.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/02/town-council-meeting-22416-missing.html

Thursday, February 25, 2016

In the News: pipeline presentation, high school water leak, Culinary Cabaret

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin

Representatives from a company looking to run a controversial natural gas pipeline through town made their case to the Town Council Wednesday. 
The council heard a presentation from Spectra Energy officials regarding the pipeline, which would also go through such area towns as Milford, Medway, Bellingham and Millis. 
Spectra's Jon Bonsall gave a slideshow presentation in which the need for such a pipeline was discussed. He said a lack of natural gas in New England had led to large price spikes in recent winters.
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160224/franklin-council-hears-pipeline-presentation




A water leak at the high school has displaced the principal but did not affect students. 
The leak, said Principal Peter Light, appears to have taken place on Presidents' Day. He said the facilities department, which was doing sweeps through the building during school vacation, noticed that the temperature in his office was low and worked to remedy that. 
Unfortunately, though, that effort did not prevent a leak that night, as two sprinkler heads burst, Light said. 
"They ended up doing significant damage," he said. "About 70 percent of the damage was isolated to the principal's office itself, though some water leaked out into the main office."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160224/franklin-high-school-water-leak-displaces-principal


The Franklin Performing Arts Company will present Culinary Cabaret 2016 from 7 to 11 p.m. March 4 at The Black Box, 15 W. Central St. 
The annual food and wine event showcases the culinary and performing arts, featuring dishes and gourmet specialties. The evening also includes a culinary-themed silent auction and entertainment by the ACME Jazz Quartet and the international touring ensemble Electric Youth.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160224/franklin-performing-arts-company-to-present-culinary-cabaret

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Feb 24, 2016


A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
– January 20, 2016, February 3, 2016

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS
– This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 11 and Verizon channel 29. This meeting may also be recorded by others.

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
– Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to five minutes on a matter that is not on the Agenda. The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask the Town Administrator to review the matter.

E. APPOINTMENTS

  • Disability Commission
  • Election Workers
  • Council on Aging


F. HEARINGS

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
1. Spectra Energy 
2. Conservation Commission
- Delcarte Property 
- Wetland Bylaw

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS 
– Community Liaison Update

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

  1. Resolution 16-08: Appropriation: Facilities Van
  2. Resolution 16-09: Rescind Borrowing Authority (Resolution 15-15, Purchase and Renovation of Improved Property for Franklin Recreation Department) Fund Through Appropriation
  3. Resolution 16-10: Ratification of the Memorandum of Agreement Between the Department of Public Works, ASFME – Local 1298, Council 93 and the Town of Franklin


K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

L. OLD BUSINESS

M. NEW BUSINESS

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS

O. EXECUTIVE SESSION
- Pending or threatened litigation
1. Proposed Excelon expansion of Medway electric generating facility pending before Energy Facilities Siting Board.

P. ADJOURN

The documents released for this meeting can be found here
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_CouncilAgendas/2016%20Complete/02242016.pdf

DelCarte in fall color
DelCarte in fall color

REALLY URGENT: Towns can apply for Intervenor Status for Eversource's petition to DPU (15-181) for pipeline tax!


Dear Greater Franklin Node members and friends,

If you want your town to apply for intervenor status and make comments in DPU's consideration of Eversource's application of a "pipeline tax," you need to urge your town officials to submit written comments by this Thursday, February 25. 

FORWARD THIS WHOLE EMAIL TO YOUR TOWN OFFICIALS RIGHT AWAY.
 

Carolyn Barthel
Greater Franklin Node, 350 Mass

*************************

Below is a letter from Karina Wilkinson of Food and Water Watch in Massachusetts:

Do Weymouth or any of the other towns on the Access Northeast route want to try to intervene in Eversource's petition to the DPU? Do any of your groups want to ask for an extension to the February 25th deadline to give more groups and towns time to consider it?  You can send comments to the docket until February 25th at this point. See the link below.

It would be very helpful if municipalities on the Access Northeast project line would intervene in Eversource's petition to the DPU to be allowed to contract for the gas with Spectra/Algonquin and to impose a tariff on ratepayers to pay for the project.  Intervene and oppose it. 

The Notice from the DPU is here and it includes information on how to comment or intervene.  The deadline is very close, Feb. 25th, though there will be a second hearing in Walpole on May 23rd.
http://web1.env.state.ma.us/DPU/FileRoomAPI/api/Attachments/Get/?path=15-181/Notice_of_Filing.pdf


Karina Wilkinson
Food and Water Watch Local Coordinator MA

No Spectra Pipeline sign on Franklin lawn
No Spectra Pipeline sign on Franklin lawn

Friday, February 5, 2016

Citizen Comment: Jim Hill to Town Council, Feb 3, 2016

Good evening, Mr. Chair and Fellow Town Councilors, I’m James Hill and I live at 5 Gloucester Dr.

I’m here as a follow-up to the No Spectra Natural Gas Pipeline presentation of January 6th. I’m not here tonight to talk about the environmental damage caused by fracking and gas leaks. I’m not here to talk about exporting natural gas or having to pay an additional utility fee to pay for the pipeline. And I’m not here to restate that the Attorney General and the Conservation Law Foundation reports indicate that there’s no need for another pipeline.

I’m here to share the concerns of many residents of Franklin who worry about the safety of gas pipelines. At the Spectra Energy Open House two weeks ago, we observed aerial views of the existing and proposed pipelines. We’ve been to many of these areas and observed that the current pipeline appears to be within twenty feet of some homes, and close to many others. Most of these homes were built after the pipeline was installed in 1963, and before people knew the potential dangers. According to the PHMSA, the HCAs (High Consequence Areas) are at least a 660’ radius. According to a Spectra employee, the old 24-inch Algonquin pipe contains about 700lbs per square inch of pressure and the proposed 30” line would be at least that. In some areas on the Spectra maps the current pipe and the proposed pipe appear to be very close each other.

Given the fact that there was a serious gas leak in Medway on January 5, the close location of these pipes is frightening to us. According to a January 6th Milford Daily News article, several homes were evacuated for six hours while the leak was repaired. In addition to the Medway Fire Department, the Milford, Millis and Holliston fire departments were on hand. In our opinion, the fact that the pipes, in some areas, will be within feet of each other would increase the incineration zone exponentially. If one pipeline exploded, the other probably could too. A leak and a spark would cause a catastrophic event. This could have happened in Medway or here given the fact that gas leaks are common. 

According to the US Department of Transportation’s Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration from 1994 through 2013, there were 110 serious incidents with interstate gas transmission pipelines, resulting in $448,900,333 in property damages, 195 injuries and 41 deaths. From 2002 to 2015 there were 589 resolved civil penalty cases totaling $47, 447,675. At this time there are another 637 open cases with proposed penalties of $64,856,000.

On November 30, 2015 Steve Aklquist of RI Future.org wrote an article based on an interview with two former safety inspectors who worked for Spectra in nearby Burrillville, Rhode Island. The two safety inspectors were working on a section of Spectra Energy’s AIM pipeline system and stated that the company cut corners when it came to project, worker and environmental safety. 

Cathodic protection
Cathodic protection
One inspector was quoted as saying, “Right now, what they’re hoping to do, is they’re hoping to slam all this through, and then at the end ask for forgiveness,” They’ll say, “Oops, sorry about that, I didn’t know, let me write you a check. Because once this thing’s turning meter, they’re going to be making millions of dollars a day. It doesn’t matter what your problems are.” According to the article the other inspector added , “These pipes have to last underground for at least 50 years…. If there’s the smallest mistake in their cathodic protection, that’s what’s going to corrode. All of a sudden you’ve got, even at 800-900 pounds of pressure, doesn’t sound like much, but when you’ve got a 42-inch pipe, traveling that distance and it goes ka-bang, you’re not talking about taking out a block, you’re talking about taking out a large area. You’re talking about a humongous ecological impact, you’re talking about displacing hundreds of families, you’re talking about leveling homes, killing people instantly, I mean, if one of those places were to go up, it’s going to be a bad day.” End of quote.

As I said, we’re not here to talk about the environmental damage caused by gas leaks and fracking. Or the fact that both the Attorney General and the Conservation Law Foundation’s research indicates that there are better ways to address peak winters days than adding another pipeline.

We’re here to say that given the track record of pipelines and the extreme pressure and proposed location of a new pipeline, we ask that you, the Town Council members, consider the safety of our citizens and consider legal ways to protect our town from undesirable development. 

To that end I have emailed each of you a link to a document entitled “Local Government, A Guide to Pipelines” written by the Pipeline Safety Trust with a grant from the US Pipeline and Hazardous Safety Administration. Thanks for your time.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

REMINDER: Greater Franklin Node meeting this Thursday, Feb 4, 2016


Hi everyone,

We had a great node meeting last week!  It had been postponed one week due to the Spectra Open House.

To recap, we briefly reviewed the Spectra Open House experience and spent the bulk of our time focusing on figuring out possible details of a Q1 Loop-wide Public Forum for the end of March.

As we discussed, Sharon and Walpole are fairly centrally located along the length of the proposed pipeline route, so we decided I'd ask Sharon if they'd be interested in hosting the forum in their town.  It turns out they just recently started organizing a forum for the same time frame, the end of March, to which they were going to invite all the towns in the Q1 Loop!  They have already invited speakers from the Attorney General's Office and the Conservation Law Foundation, so far.  There will be an extensive Q and A afterwards.  A specific date has not been set yet, but stay tuned!
one of the Franklin lawn signs
one of the Franklin lawn signs

This Thursday, February 4, at our next meeting we'll focus on how we can ramp up outreach in each of the towns for the next two months which will include inviting town officials and town citizens to the forum. 

So come to our meeting this Thursday night, Feb 4, at 7:00 pm, at First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin.

See you Thursday!

Carolyn

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

You can find out about the Spectra pipeline in these Open Houses

Dear friend,

Spectra Energy is proposing to install a 30-inch gas pipeline through our various towns (see below).  As part of the process, Spectra has just put out its schedule of Open Houses and sent invitation letters to the potential abutters and town leadership, not to the whole town (they like to keep a very low profile).  They will have maps of the proposed route for you to view so you can see what neighbors would have the new pipeline in their yards, what wetlands and river(s) and streams the pipeline would cross. (I have not included a list of all the Open Houses, just the ones that pertain to FUSF members.)

Algonquin Open Houses for the Access Northeast Project
altPer Spectra's notice:
Algonquin will hold Open Houses in January in order to provide updated information concerning the Access Northeast Project to landowners, public officials and interested stakeholders.  The Open Houses are designed to enable people to get their questions answered by Project representatives.  In addition, since there is no formal speaking program, individuals may arrive at any time during the hours listed.  FERC representatives will also be in attendance and will be available to speak with attendees.


WALPOLE/SHARON/CANTON/STOUGHTON: Tuesday, January 19, 2016
5:30PM – 7:30PM
Four Points Sheraton
1125 Boston Providence Turnpike
Norwood, MA

MEDWAY/BELLINGHAM/FRANKLIN/MILLIS/NORFOLK:
Thursday, January 21, 2016

5:30PM – 7:30PM
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham
835 Union St.
Franklin, MA


No Spectra sign seen on Franklin lawns
No Spectra sign seen on Franklin lawns

They are lumping MILFORD (and strangely enough MEDWAY again) into the West Boylston 16-inch lateral pipeline called the West Boylston Lateral:
MILFORD/MEDWAY/UPTON/GRAFTON/MILLBURY/SUTTON/SHREWSBURY/BOYLSTON/WEST BOYLSTON:
Monday, January 25, 2016
5:30-7:30PM
Highfields Golf and Country Club
42 Magill Drive
Grafton, MA
If you go to the Open Houses, you can expect Spectra to hang onto you and be pleasant and accommodating, but they're deadly serious about taking your land and having you pay for their pipeline.  If you don't like what you see and want to do something about it, come to our next node meeting of the Greater Franklin Node, 350 Mass, on Thursday, January 28, at 7:00 PM at FUSF.  We meet twice monthly.
James F. Hill Tel. 508-528-4888 h Tel. 508-498-4504 c