The TGP Northeast Expansion (now called the Northeast Energy Direct Project) is a high-pressure fracked gas pipeline planned by Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, LLC. (“TGP” is a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P.) It is intended to bring fracked gas from New York State to Dracut, MA. According to TGP, intended customers are local distribution companies, electric generators, industrial end users and developers of liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) projects in New England and Atlantic Canada. It would be paid for by new tariffs recently proposed by electric utility commissions and approved by the Governors of all 6 states in New England.
An impressive up-to-date website is nofrackedgasinmass.org. For one of the most complete FAQ documents we have seen so far, visit the PLAN-Northeast website (grew out of MassPLAN to cover several states) as well as MASS PipeLine Awareness Network. All these sites have excellent background information and news from other towns which we are not duplicating on this site. Also, if you missed the forum on the proposed pipeline held on June 3rd at Greenfield Community College you can watch it at http://vimeo.com/mctvchannel17.
In a nutshell, the fracked gas (the mining of which has already ruined many acres and homesteads in other states), would move across Massachusetts forests, streams, and backyards, and then be consumed or sold to the highest bidder elsewhere, primarily to make electricity and heat our leaky homes. It would solve almost nothing in the way of reducing greenhouse gasses. Methane leaks during the drilling and distribution process make up for the savings in CO2 emissions that the proponents of natural gas often point to.
This plan runs counter to NQE’s mission. Our mantra has always been: conservation first, efficiency next, and renewables to compliment these other two often overlooked “resources”.
Some have touted all of the jobs this pipeline would create. We say:
Let’s create jobs fixing our houses, businesses, and public buildings and putting solar panels (almost) everywhere!
Let’s not back ourselves into another fossil fuel dependency!
Let’s kick the addiction once and for all!
Please visit our Actions to Take and Working Groups pages, and check out the Events page to see whats coming your way on a local level.