Let's Talk About: 'One of These Things is not Like the Other'

Regarding the Kinder Morgan pipeline, let’s play that little game of “one of these things is not like the other” …

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren published an editorial against the project in the Berkshire Eagle. Warren wrote something that other critics of the project had mentioned: that New England should focus on repairing gas leaks in the pipes that it already has, instead of building new ones:

Before we sink more money in gas infrastructure, we have an obligation wherever possible to focus our investments on the clean technologies of the future — not the dirty fuels of the past — and to minimize the environmental impact of all our energy infrastructure projects. We can do better — and we should.

Massachusetts Governor Baker

WMUR reports that “Governor Baker said it’s premature to throw his weight behind any one pipeline or transmission line project, but continues to favor those that take advantage of existing utility corridors, rather than going through “virgin territory.” He said any proposal to bring large-scale hydropower to Massachusetts has “a long way to go before they bear fruit.”

The governor backed off his opposition of the proposed Kinder Morgan Tennessee Gas pipeline when the route was altered last year to run along existing rights-of-way in southern New Hampshire.”

New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan

IN a letter sent to residents regarding the pipeline, NH Governor Hassan’s reply was:

“Rising energy costs have been a longstanding challenge for our state and region, with recent winter price spikes due in large part to a lack of natural gas pipeline capacity and our increasing reliance on natural gas for electric generation. Governor Hassan supports bringing more natural gas to New Hampshire to make New Hampshire’s fuel supply more affordable, reliable and diverse, and she believes that any proposed project must incorporate the views of local communities and protect our natural resources.”

Did you guess?

Looks like New Hampshire’s Governor Hassan may be hearing what southern New Hampshire residents are saying about the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline, but it doesn’t appear she is *really* listening to them.

Town after town in southern New Hampshire is opposed to the Kinder Morgan pipeline. Citizen after citizen, group after group, organization after organization has voiced legitimate protest against Kinder Morgan slashing its way through our land, disrupting our wildlife, water, our property value, potentially our health, and our peace of mind with regard to living safely in our homes and neighborhoods.

Let’s play another little game, riddle me this - what happens when a Governor doesn’t listen to the people who voted her into office?