Tonight: A Special Invitation!
We are a group of 6 young people traveling across Massachusetts exclusively by bike as part of a leadership development program called Climate Summer. This summer, we are supporting local opposition to Kinder Morgan’s proposed natural gas pipeline that would take fracked gas from Pennsylvania, across Massachusetts, and then likely for export to Asia and Europe.
In order to stop this pipeline, we need to send a clear message to our elected leaders that the people of Massachusetts do not want this dangerous, disruptive pipeline project and that, instead, we want to invest in the renewable energy future we need.
At 7PM this Wednesday (7/9) at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Amherst (121 N Pleasant St, Amherst, MA), we are hosting a presentation and discussion about the fracked gas pipeline. This is an opportunity to learn more about the proposed pipeline, our work this summer, and hear about how you can get involved with local groups here in the Pioneer Valley.
Questions? Contact Stephen O’Hanlon via e-mail at sohanlon22@gmail.com or by phone at 610-955-7398.
Ban Tar Sands Oil from New England
As of earlier today 350MA needed more people to sign up and there were no sign ups from the Pioneer Valley node! The movement needs us!
We need to tell Gov Patrick that folks in Western Mass and from across the state oppose Tar Sands oil from being shipped to Mass. Please sign up here!
As part of the 350MA Climate Legacy Campaign, we have been calling on Governor Patrick to ban tar sands oil. On July 13th, Governor Patrick will meet with his peers at the New England Governors’ Conference. Together, they could implement a regional Clean Fuels Standard to ban tar sands oil from New England entirely. We are staging a People’s Conference to tell them to follow the will of the people and ban tar sands now!
WHAT: New England Governor’s Conference Ban Tar Sands Rally
WHEN: 12PM, July 13th
WHERE: Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Register here to let us know you are coming so we can coordinate transportation!
Dear Mothers and Friends!
Have you heard about our exciting Family Picnics at Groff Park every 3rd Monday (5-7pm) this summer? Well, you’re invited! Check out & join our Facebook Group for last month’s photo album.
And in addition to this very cool wind event Mass Energy is hosting on July 27th up in Charlemont, we’ve got another amazing House Party scheduled for Sunday, July 20th in Amherst. Email greenzinnia@hotmail.com for details and to RSVP.
Be seeing you!
PS. New “what can you do in 10 minutes” PSA and Public Narrative video have been added to our Mothers Out Front webpage!
STOP THE FRACKED GAS PIPELINE
ROLLING MARCH TO THE STATEHOUSE
Feel free to contact organizers, Julia or Mary to sign up, join in or ask any questions. Schedule below: (average of about 7-8 miles per day).
For more details on the schedule, please visit this page.
WALKERS — Remember to bring water, sun protection, rain gear, a snack, and hopefully some to spare for your fellow walkers!! And don’t forget to invite your State and Congressional Legislators and the Governor to events happening along the walk in your town.
Thursday, July 10- Ashfield
Meet at the intersection of Campbell and Watson roads on the border of Plainfield and Ashfield at 9 am. Arrivals will be instructed where to park at that location. Marchers will walk from there along Watson road to Bear Swamp road to Hawley road, across route 112 and into Ashfield center on Main street. Walkers will rest at the Mobil gas station called Neighbors where bathroom facilities will be available. From there we invite those whose wish to ride a hay wagon through town as a mini parade.
The Northeast Woodlands Indigenous People’s Cleansing & Protection Ceremony – After the march there will be a cleansing and protection ceremony at the site of the proposed compressor station next to the power lines on Pfersick road. The ceremony will begin at 6 pm. This is a traditional indigenous ceremony run by women. The press and participants are welcome to take pictures before and after the ceremony but not during.
Friday, July 11- Conway, Shelburne
Meet at 9:00 am at the intersection of Beldingville and Pfersick roads on the Conway/Ashfield border. Arrivals will be instructed where to park at that location. Marchers will walk from there along Beldingville/Sabans and Pine Hill road to Shelburne Falls road turning right and following Shelburne Falls road, turning left on Newhall road then turning right on Newhall Xing then left on Bardswell Ferry road to the Bardswell Ferry bridge.
Shelburne- Meet at Bardwells Ferry Bridge at 12:00. We will walk to Clarkdale Fruit Farm via Bardwells Ferry to Taylor to S. Shelburne Rd to Old Albany.
Pipeline Resistance Rally at Clarkdale Fruit Farms (303 Upper Rd, Deerfield)–12:00-5:00 PM. Farmers, citizens, musicians and legislators unite with the common goal of stopping the proposed TNG pipeline. Clarkdale is directly impacted, with the route bisecting and destroying prime peach and apple orchards. Please join us for a tour of the impacted orchards, followed by speeches and performances. State Rep. Steve Kulik will be among the speakers, and Kris Delmhorst will close out the day with music. Walkers will be welcomed around 2:30-3:00. Full schedule to follow. Contact us if you are interested in volunteering.
Saturday, July 12-Greenfield
Meet at Clarkdale Fruit Farms (303 Upper Rd., Deerfield) at 9:00 AM to walk to the Greenfield Common via Wisdom Way. We’ll join the Peace Vigil group on the common around 11 am. Afterwards we will walk south on Rte 5/10, handing off the baton at the Rte 5/10 “Cheapside” Bridge around noon. Please RSVP to Emily if you are coming for the march.
Sunday, July 13-Deerfield, Montague, Erving
Join Deerfield at the Route 5/10 “Cheapside” Bridge over the Deerfield River at 9am for a short walk down River Road to the Bike Path Bridge over the Connecticut River.
At 10 am, walkers from Montague will meet at the Deerfield-Montague Connecticut River Bicycle Bridge for a photo op- canoeists and kayakers are encouraged to paddle in for a photo up- be under the Deerfield/ Montague bike bridge at 10–with a sign if possible! (This is the bridge just downstream/ to the south of the confluence of the Deerfield and Connecticut Rivers.) After pictures, we’ll walk through the Montague Plains to Millers Falls-Erving Rte. 63 Bridge over the Millers River. About 6 miles.
At 2 pm, Montague walkers will pass the baton to Erving at the Millers River on the Rte. 63 Bridge for a scenic 3 mile walk along the Connecticut River. We will walk under the French King Bridge and end at the Riverview Picnic and Recreation Area across from Northfield Mountain, where there will be a 3:30 picnic for Montague, Erving, and Northfield. Contact Diane Macavoy orand Peter Hudyma for more information.
Monday, July 14- Northfield, Erving
We’ll meet at Riverview Picnic and Recreation Area at 9 am to walk up over Northfield mountain, via Four Mile Brook Rd and South Mountain Rd. We’ll join with Erving and continue on to Laurel Lake for a celebratory swim. Approximately 9 miles. Walkers encouraged to join for all or part. Options include meeting at the top of South Mountain Rd for the second (downhill) half of the walk or ending there. Contact Julia for details. A shuttle from Laurel Lake and various points along the way will be available. Riverview Picnic and Recreation Area is at the end of Ferry Rd, off of Rte 63 just into Northfield from the Erving/ Northfield town line.
Tuesday, July 15- Warwick, Orange
We’ll be meeting at 9:00 am at the intersection of Quarry Rd and Wendell Rd by the Warwick line. We’ll walk Hockanum Rd to Rte 78, ending at the Orange town line around 12:00 noon. 3.4 miles. Contact Mandy with questions and to RSVP.
The Orange group will start walking at the Warwick/ Orange line on Rte 78 at noon. They will rally at Memorial Park at 2:00 pm before continuing on to Hannaford parking lot on Rte 2A. Carpooling TBA. Contact Mary with questions and to RSVP.
This is all building towards:
Wednesday, July 30th – Rally at the Statehouse
On July 30th we’ll deliver the petitions to the statehouse, and a rally will be held across the Boston Common. We (pipeline opponents from around the state) imagine this being populated by any citizens and organizations who have been waiting to bring this fight to the State House.
Details still emerging – send your ideas and/or connection to Massachusetts notables to attend to organizers, Julia or Mary
Stay tuned for the schedule for coming weeks! Or visit No Fracked Gas in Mass for more details.
Recap of the Rolling March Kick-Off
On Sunday, July 6, a grassroots coalition opposing the construction by Kinder Morgan of the Northeast Extension of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline kicked off the first leg of an across-state protest walk that will follow the route from Richmond to Dracut.
It was a gorgeous, sunny day as abutters, neighbors and local environmentalists opposed to the local danger posed by pipeline leaks and explosions, the expense imposed on gas ratepayers through tariffs to subsidize its construction, and the contribution to greenhouse gas and global warming by the fracked gas that the TGPL from the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, all walked 5.6 miles from the Hilltop Orchard to Bartlett Orchard, criss-crossing the pipeline’s proposed path through beautiful fields, forests and orchards.
About forty people, mostly locals, made the walk, which was greeted and joined by enthusiastic neighbors. Honks and thumbs up were the norm from passing cars.
At our first stop in a field marked with “danger — pipeline” poles, Richmond’s Arnold Piacentini talked about the plethora of gas pipelines that already pass through Richmond: much smaller, lower pressure than the more dangerous Kinder Morgan proposal. As indication that the new one is unnecessary to meet any local needs, he charged that one of the three existing at that site did not seem to be used now.
Organizers charge that instead of meeting local needs, the gas will be funnelled overseas to European markets for higher prices. Thus Massachusetts residents are being asked to pay for polluters’ profits.
Please join the walk as it rolls eastward to Dracut.
Don Berwick opposes Tennessee Gas Pipeline!
On July 8 the office of gubernatorial candidate Don Berwick announced that Berwick opposes the construction of the Northeast Extension of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline “After careful consideration and review of the currently available data, I oppose the construction of the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline. We should not commit to new natural gas infrastructure until we know for certain that it is necessary to meet our energy needs. To date, I am not convinced that that case has been made.”
His opposition stems from concern “about the legitimate dangers of making any more long-term investments in natural gas infrastructure. New pipelines, including the Kinder Morgan pipeline, create infrastructure that locks us into the use of fossil fuels for far longer than necessary.” He stated that he was “set to make Massachusetts the first carbon-neutral state.”
