Date: 11/3/2021
I would like to add several facts to the article “Eversource Energy Presents Pipeline Reliability Project” published in last week’s Reminder (Oct. 21, 2021).
1. What Eversource describes as a Longmeadow “point of delivery” station is, in fact, an industrial gas facility that will consist of no fewer than five buildings, security fencing, industrial lighting, and a new road that needs to be built to permit truck access.
What the company also fails to mention is that this facility is intended to be sited in a residential neighborhood 1/4 of a mile from Wolf Swamp Elementary School. Schoolchildren will be walking past this facility on their way to and from school.
2. This project does NOT, in fact, create reliability for Eversource’s service area. As Eversource has stated, the new pipeline ends at the Bliss Street regulator station – as does the current pipeline under the Memorial Bridge.
Given this reality, if a natural catastrophe such as being struck by a tornado happens at the Bliss Street Station, the result could easily be no delivery of gas to the area. The Bliss Street station is, therefore, no better protected than the reinforced concrete bridge pipeline that is of such concern to Eversource.
3. While Eversource says that this project will cost between $22.7 million and $32.7 million, in fact, Eversource’s own filing with the state on Sept. 1 budgets $37 million for this project for 2023 – a cost that will definitely be borne by the ratepayer.
As John Adams wrote, “Facts are stubborn things,” – and it would be helpful if Eversource were more transparent in describing their project and its impact on the residents of Longmeadow and Springfield.
Michelle Marantz
Longmeadow
