PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES

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Spectra Energy is working to build a gas compressor station in our community. This will negatively impact not only Rehoboth but the surrounding towns of Attleboro, Seekonk, Dighton, East Providence and Pawtucket. If approved, Spectra Energy Algonquin Transmission LLC’s Access Northeast (ANE) new gas and pipeline infrastructures would cut across neighborhoods, farms, forests, wetlands, countless acres of both public and private property, and scarring our Commonwealth’s protected lands.

 

Compressor stations are notorious for being noisy, driving down property values, and bringing health and safety risks to host communities. The health impacts surrounding compressor stations are documented as are the chemicals they emit. What should be particularly worrying to residents, (as is locally the case) is when Spectra seeks to acquire large tracts of land. Pipeline companies usually lead residents to believe the excess land is meant solely as buffer to mitigate the compressor station’s effects, but we know two thirds of all gas compressor stations are subject to future buildouts. These can include additional compressors, large LNG storage facilities and/or power plants-  worsening by many degrees the negative impacts on host communities. Spectra’s ANE project would force our communities to assume all of the risks, while they rake in the rewards.

 

NOT NEEDED

In November, 2015 our Attorney General issued a study that determined new gas infrastructure is not needed to keep the lights on in Massachusetts. New England already gets over 61% of our electricity from gas, and our focus should be on meeting key climate goals by increasing investment in viable renewable energy resources. A more diversified energy portfolio which includes increases in clean energy would create jobs, help local economies and reduce our dependence and protect us from the price volatility of fossil fuels.

 

NOT ON OUR DIME

Recently (April 2016) the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decided electric ratepayers in our state should not be forced to finance Spectra Energy’s pipeline infrastructure. But Spectra Energy continues to seek other means to force us to pay for their project.

 

GOVERNOR BAKER,

Your constituents resoundingly call on you to withdraw your support for Spectra Energy’s Access Northeast pipeline expansion (ANE), which includes a compressor station build in Rehoboth, MA. We further ask that you stop supporting any further pipeline taxes of any kind, which would cost the ratepayers. We also ask that when Spectra Energy files, you will publicly hold any gas infrastructure proposals to the strictest standards throughout the permit approval process.  Additionally, we call on you, Governor Baker to keep Massachusetts first in the nation on energy efficiency, and keep us moving towards more renewable energy resources.  Governor Baker, we need you to adopt an action plan which will protect and preserve our treasured community.