NQ Pipeline Action Steering Committee — A Notice from Steering Comm. — June, 2016
Thank you to everyone on this e-list who attended public events, wrote letters, made phone calls, walked, rode buses and marched, talked with neighbors, attended vigils and rallies, put up lawn signs, sat through KM information sessions and open houses, spoke at and attended FERC and DPU hearings, and did other activities to Stop the NED Pipeline.
For over two years (since early March, 2014), the NQPA Steering Committee met and organized events in this region to Stop the Pipeline and worked with other groups. On June 21, 2016, members of the steering committee met to discuss what to do now that Kinder Morgan/TGP has cancelled the NED project for now. At the May 24th meeting (less than a day after KM announcement), the steering group decided to take a few weeks to see what happened with KM and get our own thoughts together.
In the discussion by NQPA Steering Committee members on June 21st, there was an overwhelming consensus on the following items:
- We plan is to stay vigilant, pay attention and monitor issues so that we can alert people about possible actions for this area. The Steering Committee does not plan to organize any public events this summer in region unless necessary. NQPA steering committee will be on call and meet if deemed necessary.
- We will especially monitor what is happening with the Pipeline Tax and Article 97 issues over the summer. We will continue to be part of PLAN-NE and Mass Power Forward coalitions.
- We encourage people to write legislators about getting Ban on Pipeline Tax, Omnibus Energy Bill (see Actions to Take Page) and Article 97.
- NQPA e-list – This e-list of 215 people will be moderated by Pat Larson. Updates along with event reminders will be sent out as necessary. If people wish to have daily updates, there is a list below of resources.
Again thank you for all the work people in this region did to help Stop the Pipeline. From members of steering committee — Betsy Alkins (Warwick), Al Berman (Warwick), Ken Berthiaume (Orange), Carol Berthiaume (Orange), Maureen Blasco (Royalston), Diane McAvoy (Montague), Morningstar (Erving), Mary King (Orange), Rene Lake-Gagliardi (Athol), Pat Larson (Orange), and Ivan Ussach (Athol & Gill)
From notice in January, 2015 — The NQ Pipeline Action Steering Committee consists of 10-12 people from various towns in North Quabbin region and beyond. At this point it is probably best to contact a member of the Steering Committee if you wish to help with projects. NQ Pipeline Action has been working to stop the Kinder Morgan/TGP NED pipeline project since Feb. 2014. In December Kinder Morgan/TGP amended their pre-filing to change the preferred route. At this point in 2015, Orange, Athol and Royalston and other towns to the East are no longer on the preferred route as the proposed route travels across New Hampshire and then re-enters Massachusetts to end at Dracut. However, NQ Pipeline Action will continue to work on stopping any new fossil fuel infra-structure in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. If you wish more information or wish to help with a project, contact one of the steering committee members below. We try to have a public event every 1-2 months, are involved with the tri-state StopNED Coalition, MassPLAN, work with other towns in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and have regular monthly steering committee meetings.
Steering Committee: Ivan Ussach (Millers River Watershed Council and Gill) – ivan@millersriver.net; Pat Larson (Orange) – plarson24@hotmail.com; Mary King (Orange) – msk17@mtdata.com; Ken Berthiaume (Orange)- kwberthiaume@hotmail.com; Maureen Blasco (Royalston) – maureenblasco@gmail.com; Morningstar(Erving) – morningstar210@gmail.com; Rene Lake-Gagliardi (Athol) – renelake@msn.com, Susan Pepper (Orange) – spepperens@gmail.com, Diane McAvoy (Turners Falls/Montague) – dmcavoy22@sbcglobal.net; Alan Berman (Warwick) – beechbrush@yahoo.com; Betsy Alkins (Warwick) – ealkins@yahoo.com
Google Group and List for Posting and Communication: There are almost 200 people on the Google group list – NQPipelineAction group. These people are able to post comments by sending a posting to NQpipelineaction@googlegroups.com. To join this group send an e-mail to plarson24@hotmail.com. Events, working groups activities and meeting notes will still be posted on the NQE website. People may also unsubscribe. If the Google Group is too open with too much traffic, the settings can be changed. Right now the group description is as follows: ” NQ Pipeline Action is a group of concerned citizens in the North Quabbin who have come together to build awareness, organize opposition, and engage in collective action against the proposed pipeline.”
We want to start sharing information using Google docs and spreadsheets. It takes less then 5 minutes to set up an account. Watch this 3 min. video/tutorial for instructions: Setting_Up_and_Forwarding_a_Gmail_Account
Meeting Notes now have own page — Notes for May 28, 2014 and other meeting notes will be posted there.
NQ Pipeline Action and NORTH QUABBIN ENERGY –APRIL 30, 2014 at Athol Town Hall– Condensed Notes
Twenty-two people attended this organizing meeting while another 30-40 people attended the Orange Selectboard meeting. (Facilitation by Pat Larson and Timekeeper Steve Kurkoski from NQE. Morningstar took notes). The draft of notes from the meeting are below. Proposal made by No. Quabbin Energy member Janice Kurkoski that a steering/leadership group be set up to coordinate opposition to the proposed gas pipeline with a person from each working group (add a Communications workgroup) being on steering group. After some discussion a steering committee was formed with six members, and NQ Pipeline Action was formed.
REPORTS FROM WORKING GROUPS (April 30th meeting):
a) Communications with Landowners – Maureen Blasco reported that landowners group has had 2 meetings. Betsy Alkins and Allen Berman are working to get all the names of landowners in Warwick and make contact with them. Maureen and others have gotten all the names of landowners in Royalston. In Orange it has been harder to get names and reach people, but Mary King has been working on this. In Athol some people have been reached along with getting the Athol Conservation Commissionto rescind permission for TGP/Kinder Morgan to survey on town owned land (mostly town conservation land). In Erving contact needs to be made and a map figured out which Morningstar and Moonlight will compile. Tom Wansleben from Mt. Grace Land Conservation Trust is also working on maps.
b) Municipal Action Committee – Jamie Pottern reported for this group as Sarah Wells could not attend. Jane LaPointe has also worked with this group. Jamie is looking for more people to join this work group. This work group hopes to help new communities starting to work on this issue (e.g., Erving) and to help educate conservation commissions and planning boards. One idea is to put together a Toolkit to help with organizing work and information in all of the communities.
c) Research on What is Happening in Other States – Ivan reported that there are no places that have kicked out pipelines. In New York state there are 2 proposed pipelines with well organized groups fighting to keep pipelines out of towns. There is also a campaign in Central Vermont regarding a pipeline. Jane LaPointe has also found excellent documents about how to organize against FERC along with documents from environmental lawyers which are available. This group will continue to keep contact with New York groups. There is value in getting information about other projects.
d) Research on Massachusetts Laws – Bruce Spencer did research on Chapter 97 (protecting forests) and the Global Warming Solutions Act in MA. He reported on his research at the April 8th meeting and was unable to attend April 30th meeting. There is research pertaining to state at www.massplan.org and at www.nofrackedgasinmass.org. TGP/Kinder Morgan can go to the Mass. Department of Public Utilities to get permission to survey on land where owners said NO. It was suggested that this research group combine with other research group. People noted that once things get further into the legal bureaucracy it is harder to stop proposed pipeline.
e) Messaging – No one was present from this work group. This work group consists of Heather Wight, Deb Habib, Denise Andrews, Mary King, Cathy Stanton (later). Mary and Deb were at Selectboard meeting in Orange. However, Amy Borezo sent a report about getting stencils for lawn signs that could be used for repurposed signs that Janice Kurkoski brought from NESEA. The design that Amy used was from the “nofrackedgasinmass.org” sign design – “Protect our Common Wealth – Stop the Pipeline – nofrackedgasinmass.org”
f) Communications/Media – This is the suggested new work group. Pat Larson reported that the NQ Energy website (www.northquabbinenergy.org/wordpress) has pages for “gas pipeline” issue. It is being kept up-to-date by Janice and Pat. At this point the goal has been keep website up-to-date and get nqpipelineaction@googlegroups.com up and running. There are over 100 people on this list, and people can email plarson24@hotmail.com to be added to googlegroup list. It was also suggested that there be a stop TGP Pipeline on Facebook.
From April 8, 2014 Meeting: Landowner Communication. In Royalston a dozen or more landowners have been approached for surveys and only one has signed. It was reported that one person who was canvassing said they didn’t know if they can survey in Royalston because they don’t have enough contiguous land. All landowners in Warwick have been contacted. Discussed mapping and getting in touch with landowners who haven’t been contacted yet. They have people representing Orange, Royalston, Warwick and Athol. See a need for communication with what’s going on outside the North Quabbin region. They will attend the April 17 Climate ActionNow meeting in Greenfield. See need for lawn signs. Mt. Grace wants to organize volunteers to help out with the mapping of the proposed route of the pipeline. Reported that most towns did not receive maps from Kinder Morgan. Ashburnham and Warwick have received maps perhaps because town land is involved. Kinder Morgan is not releasing maps to individuals.
Messaging: We need to reach out to the broader community….get the hearts of the average people. The company knows what we are going to do. Talked about lawn signs. “Beware the Fracking Pipeline” “Choose Energy Over Company Profits” “Hands Off Our Land, Forests, and Water.” “No Pipeline – Protect our Land, Forests, Water and Families.” We need some fundraising to be able to mount a campaign, buy signs, etc.
Municipal Outreach Group: Needs more “cross-pollination,” working with the Communication with Land Owners group. Need a way to communicate with the towns in the North Quabbin region. When we have a message, they will start contacting government entities. They see a need for a coordinating group to communicate with what’s happening in all the communities. This group has a list of things that need to be done. Their full report will be posted here.
Green Communities Act/ Conservation Lands Group: Green Communities Act is bigger than you would think, covering most energy areas with many different facet The big one is the Energy Efficiency Project, being funded with ~$500 million per year. This has an 11 member board that approves plans. Goal is to reduce energy consumption by 10% by 2020. All of the funds are controlled by the gas and the electrical production companies. Aid to Green Communities Projects are funded at $10 million a year. This is a substantial effort to reduce our energy use but it doesn’t go far enough. It really doesn’t address energy conservation, convincing people to use less energy. It focuses more on efficient use of energy sources. There should be an equal emphasis on conservation and efficiency. Also, there needs to be a restructuring of electric rates, similar to what was done with the MWRA water rates in years past – fix the leaks, increase the rates for over-use, and offer free conservation technologies and behavior changing incentives. A line has to be drawn to protect conservation lands in state. Changes to the use of Chapter 97 lands (e.g., lands with Conservation Restrictions and some State and Town forests) need a 2/3 vote of the legislature. The governor has to be involved to protect these lands. We need to call out Gov. Patrick and future candidates and engage them in all of the above conversations. Energy policy needs to be more transparent.
Research on What’s Happening in Other States: They have documents that can be sent to anyone interested digitally. Request documents from Ivan Ussach, email: ivan@millsriver.net. Spectre Busters in Florida requested reports on all pipelines that were denied by FERC. Two liquid gas in TX and RI have been denied. There are several in process in NY. In NY, there are plans to expand the Alqonquin pipeline into New England. There is a group fighting the Addison expanding pipeline in Burlington, VT area. The Research Group has an excellent 60 page document of “How to Deal with FERC?” They will need additional follow-up research on what they’ve reported on. Again, email: ivan@millersriver.net for PDFs of documents. They will summarize the 60-page document “How to Deal with FERC?” to manageable information.
IDEAS ON WHERE TO GO FROM HERE:
1. Have sign up forms for working groups at the April 16 meeting.
2. Hold the next Working Groups meeting at the Athol Town Hall. (Rene ahs already reserved the Town Hall for Wed. April 30.)
3. How to form an Organizing Committee – could spokespeople for the working groups be the organizing committee?
4. Form a list serve group instead of doing mass emails.
5. Include energy conservation information at the April 16th Meeting.
Report on last April 7th Kinder Morgan presentation in Montague : Kinder Morgan put out a timeline and schedule of meetings they have had with state leaders. They emphasized that their maps just show a proposed route. Final route could go in many other directions. Kinder Morgan said there will be spur pipelines going northward to New Hampshire….possibly through Warwick, Royalston, and Ashburnham. One person reported that she was surprised by KM map of the Marcellus Shale Field and how big it is. KM reported that the right of way being offered to property owners will be 50 feet and they will prohibit growth in this area. There will be a bigger corridor for construction stage, possibly 200 feet. Almost all Montague people at the meeting were against the gas pipeline. Union construction people were at the meeting to support the pipe line as an organization. Kinder Morgan people are good sales people, and extremely nice to everyone. People learned at the Montague meeting at KM plans to submit their request to FERC for the pre-filing in October 2014 (according to Kinder Morgan action timeline or perhaps in late summer). Many people think that KM is planning to export the gas. The pipeline goes to Dracut because Dracut is already the terminal of an existing pipeline that comes down from import terminals in Eastport, Maine and St. Johns, New Brunswick. These could someday be turned into export terminals. Good article in Greenfield Recorder(April 8) on the meeting. Montague Reporter is doing a good job on the pipeline issues.