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Date: 11/10/2021
SPRINGFIELD – About 30 people representing Longmeadow and Springfield gathered on the steps of Springfield City Hall on Nov. 4 with a unified message that a proposed natural gas pipeline is neither wanted or needed in either community.
The group announced the creation of a new website (www.stopthetoxicpipeline.org) as well as a campaign involving lawn signs calling attention to opposition of the pipeline program.
Verne McArthur, of the Springfield Climate Justice Coalition, told the audience, “They [Eversource] plan construction of a large new gas transfer station in Longmeadow to feed gas to one new high-pressure pipeline from Longmeadow into downtown Springfield to an existing transfer station at Bliss Street (MGM Way). This two-part infrastructure expansion project with cost at least $40 million and will last decades at a time when must urgently move to transition off fossil fuels to clean renewable energy to be in compliant with the new Massachusetts climate laws and for obvious reasons.”
Sen. Edward Markey sent the following message signaling his support for the effort: “Fossil fuel pipelines are dirty, dangerous, and detrimental to public health and the environment. Building new fossil fuel infrastructure is incompatible with what is scientifically necessary to combat the climate crisis. We don’t need more pipelines just to improve profits for gas companies. We need environmental justice to improve the lives of everyone who lives in Springfield and Longmeadow. We need climate action to improve the health and safety of our future.”
Eversource released the following statement to Reminder Publishing: “In order to enhance reliability for more than 58,000 of our natural gas customers in the Greater Springfield area that are currently served by a single supply through infrastructure that is 70 years old, we are proposing the Western Massachusetts Natural Gas Reliability Project to provide a much-needed redundant supply source.
“We have not yet submitted a formal proposal to the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board, which will open an approximately two-year regulatory proceeding, as well local, state and federal permitting processes.
“With a comprehensive public process just now beginning, we are committed to close collaboration throughout with our neighbors in the community and stakeholders at all levels to listen to their feedback and input – starting with two virtual open houses this week to give local residents and business owners an opportunity to learn more about the proposed project with subject matter experts, ask questions and provide comments.”
McArthur refuted the stated purpose of the pipeline to provide redundancy and instead charged the pipeline will make the utility company money.
“Massachusetts has granted Eversource a 9.67 percent return on investment for any new gas structure. So, this is a desperate attempt to provide return to Eversource shareholders before any real transition away from fossil fuels occurs. And ratepayers will pay for this, increasingly those less able to transition away from gas, i.e. poor and low income gas users.”
Michelle Marantz of Longmeadow Pipeline Awareness Group said people in that community have been fighting the pipeline project for the past three years. She added the project “really has impact throughout the valley.”
She asserted, “It is our health and safety before their profits.”
Naia Tenerowicz of Climate Action Now said, “Climate scientists and experts of all varieties around the world are sounding the alarm. They calling this a Code Red. We are out of time. If we don’t not take dramatic action, then my future, our future is one of death and destruction. Of tragedy. Of extinction.”