Tag: Enbridge

‘No’ to Rate Increases, No to Expansion of Fossil Fuels!

by Sena Wazer, Sierra Club CT Chapter

On Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 3 p.m., the Stop Project Maple Coalition will gather at the Eversource corporate headquarters at 56 Prospect St. in Hartford, to call out unaffordable rate increases, harmful to low-income customers, and the continued expansion of fossil fuels.

Stop Project Maple is a regional coalition focused on stopping the expansion of an Enbridge-owned gas pipeline known as AGT; this expansion project called Project Maple would run through New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts, Eversource publicly stated that they offered a bid on the expanded gas from Project Maple. In Connecticut, Eversource is the monopolistic electric utility for most of the state and also provides gas to many towns. Connecticut relies primarily on fossil fuels for both electricity and home heating, which raises rates, creates air pollution and destroys the climate. There are grave concerns about the continued increase in use of fossil gas and the possible purchase of additional gas from Project Maple in Connecticut.

On Feb. 11 at 3 p.m., we will rally to call out the role of our utility companies, especially Eversource, in the promotion and expansion of fossil fuels, as well as how they have consistently taken advantage of low-income rate-payers. The rally will include speakers as well as an action.

Please contact Sena Wazer at [email protected] with any questions. More information will also be shared on the Coalition’s website: stopprojectmaple.org.

Keep the Pressure Up to Stop Fracked Gas Expansion in Connecticut

by Samantha Dynowski, Director of Sierra Club CT

During the last week of September Sierra Club of Connecticut organized two powerful events in opposition to the proposed expansion of fracked gas pipelines in the state. On Sept. 23, the researchers who completed a study on the health impacts of the fracked gas compressor station in Brookfield, CT, presented their findings at an event at the Brookfield Library. The corporations that own the compressor station want to double the size of the facility. One of the biggest concerns is that the town’s middle school is just 1900 feet away from the compressor station.

About 30 people attended the event including Marty Foncello, the State Representative for Brookfield, two of the town’s Selectmen, and the principal of the middle school. The researchers broke down the different emissions that come from the compressor station and how they impact people’s health. The event wrapped up with a discussion about how the community can fight the proposed expansion.

Then on Sept. 24, Sierra Club Connecticut organized a rally at the State House in Hartford calling on Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to reject all permits for the Enbridge company’s Project Maple pipeline expansion, and for the proposed compressor station expansion in Brookfield.

Over 50 people attended the midday rally. After hearing from some speakers, we marched to the Governor’s office and then to DEEP’s office and delivered a letter signed by over 30 elected and appointed officials in Connecticut calling on the Governor and DEEP to publicly oppose Project Maple and the Brookfield compressor station expansion.

TAKE ACTION! It’s urgent that we build on this momentum and keep the pressure up on Governor Lamont and DEEP. This is especially important for Brookfield – as DEEP is reviewing the final permit for the proposed compressor station expansion right now. Please take a few minutes to send a message to Governor Lamont and DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes using this action page: https://act.sierraclub.org/actions/National?actionId=AR0469700&id=701Po00000LgR69IAF.

You can also go a step further and call Lamont’s office (860-566-4840) and Katie Dykes’ office (860-424-3001) and urge them to oppose Project Maple and the Brookfield compressor station expansion. Every phone call and email matters!