Urging Irving Oil to cancel it's contract with Enbridge

The following info has been provided by an ally:

DARTMOUTH’S IRVING INSTITUTE: TELL IRVING OIL TO CANCEL ITS TOXIC WEYMOUTH COMPRESSOR CONTRACT

WHAT’S THE WEYMOUTH COMPRESSOR?

The proposed Weymouth Compressor would be a 7,700 horse power fracked gas transmission compressor placed on the smallest plot of land and sited in the most densely populated area in US history. Compressors are designed to periodically vent, or “blowdown”, uncombusted gas, containing carcinogens and neurotoxins with no lower safe limit. The proposed Weymouth Compressor would enable carbon emissions greater than all the motor vehicles in New Hampshire and Vermont combined. Compressors also explode.

A five-year campaign of opposition has delayed the project by more than two years; as a result there are ONLY two remaining major financial players left in the proposed compressor: Enbridge (the proponent) and Irving Oil (the proposed buyer of gas). National Grid and Eversource, the biggest corporate customers for the gas have fled this project.

The precedent agreement Irving Oil made for the gas is over 4 years old, and now 2+ years out-of-date.  After accounting for the recent corporate customer defections, Irving is the last “anchor” buyer standing in a set of stale & dwindling precedent agreements, with 73% of the remaining gas downstream of the proposed compressor. If Irving Oil cancels its contract, need for the proposed Weymouth Compressor collapses.

WHY WOULD IRVING WANT TO CANCEL THE CONTRACT? 

Irving Oil has already effectively given up on Weymouth. It just signed a 20 YEAR deal from a different supplier which began just weeks ago (Nov 1, 2019) for MORE GAS than what it sought from Weymouth at a FAR LOWER PRICE than what it would buy via Weymouth from Enbridge. Its Canadian supplier boasts that it has decades worth more gas to sell. Moreover, Irving Oil and Enbridge have a contentious, decades-long relationship based on corporate self-interest. Loyalty is not a characteristic of Enbridge and Irving Oil’s relationship.

Irving has every reason - financial, ethical, contractual, reputational - to CANCEL ITS CONTRACT regarding an expensive, financially shaky partnership that faces UNRELENTING and BROAD OPPOSITION committed to using all necessary measures to stop the Compressor. Vocal, on-the-record opposition to the proposed Weymouth Compressor includes nearly every elected local, state and federal official. 

WHERE DOES DARTMOUTH COLLEGE COME IN?

Irving Oil donated $80M to establish the Irving Institute for Energy and Society at Dartmouth College. The institute building is now under construction, with an opening planned for fall, 2021. Dartmouth College and the Irving Institute risk unnecessary reputational damage by its association with Enbridge on the toxic proposed Weymouth Compressor. By canceling its contract with Enbridge, Irving Oil can avoid reputational damage. 

WE CALL ON THE FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS, THE BOARD AND ADMINISTRATORS OF DARTMOUTH AND THE IRVING INSTITUTE TO PRESSURE IRVING OIL TO CANCEL ITS CONTRACT WITH ENBRIDGE.