Letter to the Editor: Some Pipeline Activists Spread Misinformation

Dear editor,

Recently a number of stories have been printed about pipeline resisters, whether arrests relating to Spectra AIM construction or meeting disruptions. Your readers may not be aware that some of the people involved in these stories and in the photographs have long been misinforming the public from Long Island to Brooklyn and Queens to Manhattan and further on a great many things that relate to pipelines, whether the FERC process itself, specific pipeline proposals, pipeline safety and much more.

Some of the people who are part of the “Montrose 9” recently reported on are in fact people who were associated with groups such as Occupy the Pipeline and the Sane Energy project. Both groups and people have been providing misinformation on pipelines and FERC since at least 2012 and likely earlier.

Both groups were involved in the promotion of a export conspiracy theory on a formerly proposed LNG import project that was widely reported on likely because reporters do not know who it is they are promoting and using as sources.

Kim Fraczek of Sane Energy project and Occupy the Pipeline and Monica Hunken of Occupy the pipeline identified in the resist aim Facebook page are two such people. It would be accurate to say that they are part of a larger movement which appears to be against all natural gas pipelines, infrastructure, FERC, fracking and natural gas use.

Thanks,
Karen Orlando