An Opportunity to Help Stop the Toxic Pipeline in Longmeadow.
Updated: Jun 9, 2022
A Call to Action from the First Church Environmental Justice Team
NOW HEAR THIS! ALL HANDS ON DECK!
*UPDATE* Due date extended to June 28, 2022
We have two opportunities to formally record our opposition to the proposed Eversource pipeline with the state: the first is with MEPA (Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act) Office, and the second is with the EFSB (Energy Facility Siting Board).
Eversource initiated the permitting process for the Springfield-Longmeadow expansion pipeline by filing with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act office (MEPA) on May 16th. We are currently in the public comment period of their review process. They have extended the deadline for submitting public comments by two weeks, so the deadline is now June 28th!
We should write to MEPA now. The Longmeadow pipeline project is #16556, and the assigned MEPA analyst is Alex Strysky. Here is the information you need to include when submitting comments:
Methods:
Online at MEPA’s comment portal: Public Comment Portal OR
Email: send to alexander.strysky@mass.gov ; you must reference “Western Massachusetts Gas Reliability Project” and EEA# 16556 in the email subject.
Electronic comments are preferred; however, written comments may be mailed or hand-delivered to the MEPA office . Office hours are 9 AM-5 PM. The mailing address is:
Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA)
Attn: MEPA OFFICE
Alex Strysky, EEA No. 16556
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114
The web page with all the info is here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FKOYhUerUqnCT9yJxQ1S9i60fVwraXBMtDNaj9Wo7e4/view
Here are some guidelines to consider when writing your statement:
1. You can submit the same statement to both MEPA and to the EFSB. After you submit to MEPA, hang on to your statement so that you can resend it later to the EFSB.
2. Those of you who have written Speak-Out statements could submit those statements after making edits, where appropriate, to them.
3. If you have photographs or drawings that you want to submit with your remarks, go ahead and include them. A picture is worth a thousand words--and the reader needs to understand what the surroundings of the proposed pipeline site look like.
4. Make sure that your statements come from the heart. Don't cut and paste from articles that are on the Internet. You can certainly mention scientific facts or quote a scientist or study--but please relate the science to the personal impact that this pipeline expansion project will have on your life here--and the life of our community.
5. Remember that the Longmeadow resistance movement is not saying--and has never said-- "Not in my back yard." We've always said, "Not in anybody's back yard"-- and not now when state law mandates that we should be moving away from fossil fuel energy pollution. An industrial gas processing plant and high-pressure pipeline simply doesn't belong in anyone's neighborhood next to anyone's elementary school.
Again, make sure that your written document references Western Massachusetts Reliability Project and EEA # 16556 in the email subject line if you are emailing your statement. Also, make sure that you email your statement to alexander.strysky@mass.gov. If you want to mail or hand deliver your statement, note the street address above of the MEPA office in Boston. Finally, make sure that your written statement is received before June 28, 2022.
Please email any questions to office@firstchurchlongmeadow.org and we will forward your inquiries to the First Church Environmental Justice Team.