The multibillion dollar company Kinder Morgan is now facing grassroots popular resistance to its proposed gas pipeline project from towns across the portion of the route in Eastern Massachusetts, from Dracut to Danvers, just as it has in the past faced opposition from Western Mass. The founder of Kinder Morgan is also a long term supporter of Republican candidates and he donated $2 million to the SuperPAC supporting Jeb Bush for president, while holding a Bush fundraiser at his house.
650 people turned out last night at Dracut High school where 18 elected officials and over 50 local residents spoke out against this project. Here is a video clip from Dracut’s Board of selectman chair, who is also part of the town’s Democratic City committee:
Dracut Selectman Chair Archinski, speaking to FERC
In the last 3 months, the city councils of Methuen and Peabody have both passed unanimous resolutions against the construction of this pipeline. Neither city had acted on it before, but as Kinder Morgan has increased the pipeline diameter to Methuen and as it just added a lateral to Peabody a few months ago, opposition groups have sprung up in both cities and in many towns in between.
The pipeline is vigorously opposed in Andover and Dracut, towns of 31,000-34,000 people. in which pipeline construction would clear cut a 75 to 100 foot buffer of trees that currently shields hundreds of homes from a major power line easement. Peabody faces the destruction of a famous bike path and Wilmington the encroachment of critical protected zones that help feed the wells the town depends on for drinking water.
There already exists a large 30″ gas line from Maine to Methuen to Danvers. This is called the Maritimes & Northeast line. Very little gas flows on this line, especially the Danvers portion. Thus there is plenty of opportunity to bring in additional gas from the north and west on existing lines including TCPL, TQM, and PNGTS from Canada. Thus it is possible to bring lower cost continental gas to Westbrook, Maine for delivery to the Boston area without adding major infrastructure.
Residents are upset that Kinder Morgan is instead proposing to build its own brand new line which would cost ratepayers about $5.4 billion before financing charges, according to Company documents.
Here is the Lawrence Eagle Tribune article on last night’s Dracut hearing organized by FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission:
http-//eagletribune.com/news/new_hampshire/pipeline-opponents-pack-public-hearing/article_9ba0aff5-0219-5bb6-9014-7215412e9ced.html
The biggest reason the pipeline is not needed, say residents of all the towns in the area, as well as many Boston based energy consulting groups, is that demand for energy is not going up. It is going down largely due to the policies of former governor Deval Patrick. Demand for electricity, according to reports from 2005 to 2015 from ISO New England, went down by 6%. (see: http://www.iso-ne.com/static-assets/documents/2014/09/enepk_report.xls )
In addition, non-polluting imports of hydropower increased during this period. (see:
http://www.iso-ne.com/static-assets/documents/markets/hstdata/rpts/net_eng_peak_load_sorc/energy_peak_source.xls )
Governor Baker has implied several times that he does not support this pipeline and would prefer to pursue lower-cost expansions of existing lines. His National Grid-sourced staff member, however, appears to be putting some aspects of the Kinder Morgan pipeline approval process on the fast track. For example, DOER (under the supervision of assistant energy secretary Ron Gerwatowski) is intervening on the side of the two gas companies serving Boston and Lawrence as they pursue twenty-year contracts for between eight and 12% of the capacity of the proposed pipeline.
With the advent of new technologies for storing solar energy and the continued success of MA programs to reduce gas demand as well as power demand, Massachusetts should be taking the noncontroversial step of ensuring our currently assets are fully utilized, instead of pursuing the risky venture of waiting for a large unpopular company to try to force a brand new pipeline in towns and neighborhoods that simply do not want it. To commit ratepayers to 20-year contracts when renewable energy sources are getting less expensive, and are capturing an increasing share of our energy market, may prove to be a shortsighted energy strategy.
Trickle up says
any news of similar on the New Hampshire side?
This pipeline was originally to get from new York to Dracut exclusively through Western Massachusetts.
This is a part of the Commonwealth with a history of toppling large energy projects, and there was a lot of resistance.
Consequently Kinder Morgan wisely rerouted its large energy project across the border to New Hampshire where the people are more tractable. What could possibly go wrong?
Just wondering.
kirth says
NHPipelineAwareness.org
Al says
surveying, measuring and marking along their routes. Before I realized what was going on, I wondered what was so urgent that they were wading through 4 feet deep snow drifts. Now, I know.