Reminder - ConCom Meeting Tomorrow

As a reminder, the Weymouth Conservation Commission will be meeting tomorrow, April 6, to discuss the application of Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC for a Notice of Intent to construct a natural gas compressor station as part of the Atlantic Bridge Project. We encourage folks to attend this hearing and to share their comments with the Commission.

The public hearing will be held at the Weymouth High School, 1 Wildcat Way, South Weymouth, in the Mary Jo Livingstone Humanities Center (maroon building) at 6pm.

Join the facebook event for more updates!

The Notice of Intent has been filed under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (MGL chapter 131, section 40) and the Weymouth Wetlands Protection Ordinance (Weymouth Code of Ordinances, section 7-301). The proposed project is located on Bridge Street on the parcel shown as Assessor’s Map 6, Block 63, Lot 1. The subject land is located within Designated Port Area and portions of the work are located within Land Subject to Coastal Storm Flowage, Riverfront Area, and Buffer Zone to Coastal Bank and Coastal Beach.

The compressor station will be the only item on the meeting agenda and there will be ample time for questions and discussion, but please note that the public hearing will be limited to discussion of issues relevant to the state Wetlands Protection Act and the Weymouth Wetlands Protection Ordinance. Thank you.

Town Website Information: http://www.weymouth.ma.us/conservation-commission/news/public-hearing-april-6th-algonquin-gas-notice-of-intent-for-natural-gas

Important Meeting March 9 - SPECTRA CANCELED

UPDATE - SPECTRA HAS CANCELED THEIR APPEARANCE AT THE MARCH 9 CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING, but they may be there in April. We will keep you updated!  

CANCELED - Spectra will be before the Weymouth Conservation Commission on March 9th at 7:00PM in the Town Council Chambers at Town Hall. Please plan to attend this important meeting, if you can. We need to deny Spectra our public lands.

A legal notice should be appearing in the paper and the agenda will be out a few days prior.

After thoughtfully and meticulously reading through just one of Spectra's 300-page documents, Councilor Rebecca Haugh came across this striking statement that pertains to the proposed compressor station:

"The Weymouth Compressor Station is also considered to be a high consequence area."

As Councilor Haugh said, "If it is a high consequence area, then why is it being considered and why are there no regulations or laws to protect humans? There are more regulations protecting birds, turtles and bats than human beings with these projects."

Join us on Wednesday, March 9 at the Town Hall in Weymouth (75 Middle Street) to defend our public lands from Spectra.

Action: Protest Gov. Baker's Pipeline TAX

pipeline tax hearing 2

Attend the crucial hearing on this issue on Thursday, February 25 at 1:30PM.  More details here.

Eversource and National Grid have petitioned Gov. Baker's DPU to institute a Pipeline TAX (you heard right, a tax) to be figured into the rate structure of EVERY electric bill for the residents of Massachusetts. This TAX is to pay for the as yet unbuilt and unnecessary pipelines and compressors of Kinder Morgan and Spectra. This is unprecedented for a rate increase to be established prior to a build-out.

The people of the Commonwealth will pay for the infrastructure of PRIVATE corporations, own none of the infrastructure for which they have paid, and have NO guarantee of lower prices in the future or even of receiving any of the gas coming through the pipelines. The MAJORITY of this gas, whether Spectra or Kinder Morgan, is headed for Canada to be off-shored on the world market.

On February 8, 2016, the DOE signed off on the permits to export this gas to Non-FTA (Free Trade Association) countries. The permits to export to FTA countries was given last May.

There will be an important hearing on this issue on Thursday, February 25 at 1:30PM - meet outside of South Station. More details here.

Tell the DPU and Gov. Baker: No Taxation Without Representation! Gov. Baker is supporting this TAX.

"This Changes Everything" Screening

this changes everything

Great opportunity to enjoy a potluck dinner and see Naomi Klein's new film, This Changes Everything, in Cambridge on Sunday, January 10. Read below to find out more!

Join Massachusetts Peace Action, Earth Stewardship at First Church Cambridge, and our co-hosts  for a screening and discussion of This Changes Everything, the new documentary based on the Naomi Klein book of the same name that weaves together threads of climate, racial and economic injustice and the movement of movements already rising for a new, non-extractive economy.

Co-Hosts include 350 Massachusetts, Grassroots International and Boston Downwinders.  A representative from each co-host will facilitate discussions at a thematic table, to take the issues raised by the film into our work and lives.

Please register so we know you’re coming, and if possible make a donation!  Pre-registration is NOT required, but will help us plan food and discussion. Renting the film cost us $232.

5:00 pm: Potluck and conversation in thematic tables 6:00 pm: Watch the film 7:30 pm: Small group discussions 8:30 pm: Close

Snow Date: January 24.  If in doubt, call 617-354-2169.

Download a Printable Flyer

About the Film

“This Changes Everything” presents seven powerful portraits of communities on the front lines of climate injustice, from Montana’s Powder River Basin to the Alberta Tar Sands, from the coast of South India to Beijing.

Interwoven with these stories of struggle is Naomi Klein’s narration, connecting the carbon in the air with the economic system that put it there. Throughout the film, Klein builds to her most controversial and exciting idea: that we can seize the existential crisis of climate change to transform our failed economic system into something radically better.

Former Spectra Employees Speak Out!

From FANG (Fighting Against Natural Gas): BREAKING.

A top safety inspector and an electrical inspector who worked for Spectra Energy on the "AIM" pipeline project have come forward to FANG with damning information about the company. The information that the whistleblowers have shared is alarming.

Spectra Energy pressured inspectors to hide information from safety reports and circumvent rules while rushing to complete the "AIM" project at all costs. Workers suffered heat exhaustion and were pushed to work 70-80 hours a week while attempts to raise concerns were met with immediate retaliation. As one of the whistleblowers put it "We were told to shut the f*** up or quit".

A top safety inspector who oversaw construction at compressor stations told us that the situation is so toxic that if the company doesn't change their workplace culture, that the safety mishaps and continuous violations could lead to a catastrophic pipeline explosion.

Visit SpectraExposed.org for all of the details.

Then be sure to check out Steve Ahlquist 's breaking article detailing the whistleblower's story that's posted on RI Future.

There are too many details to share in this email. But one important thing to know is that Spectra Energy is afraid of FANG. Our whistleblowers report that Spectra management frequently took time to strategize ways to stop FANG. Spectra then hired extra security to prevent protests, trained new employees about the history of FANG and lied to employees about potential FANG tactics.

All of this means that this weekend's mobilization in Burrillville is that much more important.

Join us on December 4-5th as we take action alongside the residents of Burrillville at the site of one of Spectra Energy's fracked-gas compressor stations that is currently under construction as part of the "AIM" Project.

FANG has been resisting Spectra's "AIM" project tirelessly for the past two years. But now it's time to #StopSpectra once and for all.