Opponents Protest Pipeline at FERC Meeting in Sleepy Hollow

A local scoping meeting for Access Northeast, the third project to expand the Algonquin Pipeline through New York and New England, was held Tuesday at Sleepy Hollow High School.

Opponents protested outside before the meeting, which was held by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and many spoke at it.

There were more than 150 attendees at the meeting, a Spectra Energy spokeswoman said. 120 were members of local Laborers and Operating Engineers. Several were representing Rockland and Westchester Business Associations. Over 30 delivered statements in support of the Access Northeast Project.

"By the meeting midpoint there had been 3 comments in support, and 21 opposed to the project, said Courtney Williams of Peekskill.

Williams made this statement to FERC:

These proceedings are being held in direct violation of the National Environmental Policy Act that prohibits separately evaluating connected, closely related, and interdependent projects, in this instance Spectra Energy's AIM, Atlantic Bridge, and Access Northeast projects. These three projects are clearly part of one massive expansion of the Algonquin Pipeline system to facilitate the export of fracked gas.

Building this massive new pipeline to carry and leak fracked methane gas is in direct opposition to the necessity to cease use of fossil fuels that contribute to global climate change.

This project is being carried out in direct opposition to the will of the communities through which it passes who will bear the burden of the health and safety risks that come with fracked gas infrastructure, including emissions from all above ground infrastructure and the routinely occurring pipeline incidents.

The Governor of New York State asked FERC to halt construction of the AIM Pipeline adjacent to Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant due to the grave risk construction of this pipeline may pose to the plant and the 20 million Americans that live in its evacuation radius.

Seeing as how Access Northeast has been illegally segmented, and the serious risk posed to the region, FERC must halt these proceedings.

This is the Rubber Stamp Rebellion. No new permits, no new LNG, no new pipelines. We will not stop until our communities, our citizens, and our climate are safe from fossil fuel projects rubber stamped by this commission.

The Algonquin natural gas pipeline owned by Spectra Energy runs through Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties on its way to New England. Spectra’s plan to enlarge the pipeline is in three phases so far.

The AIM Project involves the construction, installation, operation, and maintenance of 37.4 miles of pipeline and related facilities in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Most of the pipeline installation will replace existing pipeline with larger diameter pipeline.

Atlantic Bridge includes replacement of another 10.9 miles of existing pipeline with new larger diameter pipe.

Access Northeast includes the expansion of approximately 125 miles of the existing Algonquin pipeline system, plus new lines and facilities, including a new Liquified Natural Gas Storage Facility in Acushnet, Massachusetts.

While the projects cover segments of an expansion plan for the pipeline from New Jersey to New England, FERC is considering each separately.

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• Algonquin Pipeline Foes File Appeal

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been updated to clarify the number of people at the meeting and to include the statement by Spectra Energy.