Wednesday, October 15, 2014

A Letter to Every Citizen and Family in the Path of the Gas Thug Pipelines: Why This Insanity Must Be Stopped


Photo, Wendy Lynne Lee




Dear Pennsylvania citizen,

Whether or not you live along the right-of-way of  Williams Partners proposed Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline, and regardless whether you’ve been contacted by their aggressive landmen,  you need to be aware of several serious issues regarding this massive natural gas pipeline project. My message is simple: whether or not you live on or adjacent to the pipeline right-of-way, you could be impacted by this project in ways that endanger you property values, your health, and your community. Do you know that

·  the primary goal of the 42 inch, 177 mi. Atlantic Sunrise expansion of the TRANSCO is export to global markets via, for example, Dominion Energy’s planned 3.8 billion dollar Cove Point Liquefaction Project—recently approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) over 650 registered comments, virtually all of them opposed?
·      the ecological costs—borne by taxpayers—of Williams’ pipeline project include forest fragmentation, soil compaction, escalated flooding potential, water and air pollution—including possible exposure to carcinogens as well as neurotoxins?
·      the Atlantic Sunrise expansion will require compressor stations attended by their own unique hazards—including the emission of ozone, volatile organic compounds and other toxins, as well as the potential for explosion? Do you know that the explosion radius of any one of these compressors can exceed a half-mile?
·      no Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was required for issue of the permit at Cove Point?
·      Williams has a very disturbing record of pipeline leaks and explosions, several which have resulted in human casualties?
·      the natural gas industry’s own estimate is that –with this massive pipeline infrastructure in place—as many as 100,000 hydraulically fractured—fracked— wells could be on the horizon for Pennsylvanians?
·      the Department of Environmental Protection has finally released its report of at least 243 instances of drinking well contamination directly due to fracking since 2008? There are currently about 8200 operating unconventional gas wells in the state. Can you imagine the potential for contamination from 100,000?
·      FERC has approved three other LNG export projects, all in the Gulf of Mexico: the Sabine Pass Liquefaction Project, the Freeport LNG Project, and the Cameron LNG Project. Are you aware that fourteen LNG export proposals are pending, but expect approval?
·      the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) inspects only 7% of the 305,000 miles of the natural gas pipeline currently operating in the U.S.?


The Atlantic Sunrise poses unacceptable risks not only to the environment, but to human health and welfare. In addition,

·      Do you know that if you’re directly on the pipeline right-of-way, it could

Ø  Endanger your property values?
Ø  Endanger you and your children’s health?
Ø  Endanger your ability to secure homeowner’s insurance, second mortgages, and market value for your property?
Ø  Endanger your basic right to determine the use of your property by threatening its appropriation through eminent domain?
Ø  Endanger the clean air and water upon which your community depends?

·      Do you know that even if you’re not directly on the pipeline right-of-way, it could

Ø  Endanger your property values?
Ø  Endanger you and your children’s health?
Ø  Endanger your ability to secure homeowner’s insurance, second mortgages, and market value for your property?
Ø  Endanger the clean air and water upon which your community depends?


Do not let this happen.

For more information, including the EIS and the FERC documents, please see: 

For opportunities to action, please see:


For a printable copy of this letter, please contact wlee@bloomu.edu





8 comments:

RevGreg said...

Of course, what doesn't get said is that the Tiadaghton State Forest fracking occurred under Democratic Governor Ed Rendell just like the fracking in the Tioga State Forest that plopped a drill rig atop the very spot I sat in during bear season for over 15 years; disturbing wetlands, displacing a beaver colony, and doing exactly the opposite of what the funds from my hunting license fees are supposed to prevent (which is where the vast majority of conservation funds come from.) Oddly, when the leases were being given out and our state forests were being trashed under Rendell and established without extraction fees, the environmentalist community was all but silent as the hunting and fishing community tried to stop the encroachment. Now that there's a Republican in office it's time to paint him as the cause of all the fracking damage and bad lease agreements established by the previous administration. With the range that can be covered using horizontal drilling there has NEVER been a reason why rigs had to go on public land except to provide our government with more slush funds to piss away because you never seem to find that money accounted for anywhere, and it's no surprise that a slimy Philly Democrat like Slick Eddy Rendell made sure it went down that way.

Wendy Lynne Lee said...

I'm afraid, Rev. Greg., that you haven't done your homework. I have every bit as critical of the Democrats as I have been of the Republicans--if not more so, and especially of Tom Wolf.

http://thewrenchphilosleft.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-road-paved-with-frack-tax-dollars.html

http://thewrenchphilosleft.blogspot.com/2014/05/more-reasons-yet-to-vote-green-comments.html

http://thewrenchphilosleft.blogspot.com/2014/05/chiefs-dacheux-well-pad-5.html

http://thewrenchphilosleft.blogspot.com/2014/03/when-it-comes-to-fracking-mcginty.html

RevGreg said...

I did do my homework, I'm not sure why you feel that what you wrote in 2014 is valid proof of having been in active opposition to Rendell's giveaway of fracking on public land in 2007 when it might have made a difference. Mind you, I don't oppose fracking itself but I was in direct opposition to the slimy deals Rendell made while selling out public land and not putting strict environmental protections in place. It didn't help at all when sportsmen's groups could't get any of the so-called "green" groups to join us at the time to put pressure on the Democrats.

Wendy Lynne Lee said...

Dear RevGreg,

I--like the vast majority of us--did not yet know what fracking was in 2007. I was actively critical of Rendell over other issues--particularly labor related issues. But that is not the point for you, is it? (And what is YOUR proof of having opposed Rendell actively and publicly in 2007?). What IS clear is that you know very little about fracking. If you did you'd NOT suggest that tough regulations could make any substantive difference. They can't. Any green worth the name demands a BAN on fracking--not regulation.

You are trying to stick me with hypocrisy--and I get that. But that will not work because it is not supported by the facts. If anything the hypocrisy is all yours for promoting fracking--so long as it doesn't infringe on your sacred places.

But, of course, it will--and YOU will likely do nothing about it.

THAT is hypocrisy.

Anonymous said...

Funny, The Rev.'s a gun toting, democrat blaming, card carrying republican... gotta have the gun in pic to make up for unfortunate anatomy..LOL Hypocrite who can't hear the truth for fox news telling him what to think.

RevGreg said...

Yay! Thanks for giving us a nice example of Markley's Law (ad hominem attacks on firearms owners using penis size) since, apparently, you had nothing intelligent to add to the conversation. FYI, I can't stand Democrats OR Republicans and don't really think there's that much of a difference between them. As for Fox News, I haven't had cable or satellite in over ten years and think that all of the mass media 24 hour news bobble heads are pretty much useless.

BTW, that is a VERY large gun I'm shooting there in that photo...when I shoot my tiny pocket pistol does that mean I'm compensating because my penis is too large? I may disagree with Wendy on a lot of things but at least she is polite and respectful and avoids trash talking like this.

Wendy Lynne Lee said...

Mr. Greg--in truth I have no interest whatever in your gun size--I DO get it that you choose this picture of yourself to make some point. I am also not moved by THAT.

What you're doing on my blog does simply elude me. I'd make no defense whatever of the "environmental community" ala Rendell, and I have been more critical than most of the hypocrisy of Democrats and progressives. That does not mean I'd ever side with Republicans whom I regard as increasingly nationalist war mongers.

You say you don't watch the news or have much interest in the Internet--yet, you troll here.

Interesting.

RevGreg said...

Where did I say I wasn't interested in the internet? I've been involved in online discussion forums since running an online BBS out of my bedroom when I was in high school in the early 80s and have been an avid internet user since before anybody even heard of it...long before the world wide web came into existence (Gohper, Bitnet, Usenet, etc.)

I tend to shun most mainstream media outlets no matter what form they transmitted in as they are generally highly politically motivated, so I tend to use the internet to get multiple opinions from all sides before making decisions. I think the worst of all positions is any that follows the totally bogus left-right, liberal-conservative, Democrat-Republican dichotomy...with the position of "moderate" being probably the worst. Both sides have good ideas, and those ideas should be judged by their merits and not by their source...you believe that only one side has merit, therefor I comment or "troll" as you would have it.