Saturday, February 8, 2020 – Manchester NH
A lot of young people were in Dan Feltes t-shirts last night, handing out information at the Democratic dinner in Manchester. They were searching brochures for answers to questions from passersby. I stopped and spoke to several teams, asked them if they were concerned about climate change. Then I asked if they knew that Dan Feltes supports fossil fuel expansion. Only one girl had heard of Granite Bridge and none of them knew he supports it. One young man looked confused and walked away.
It’s our job to inform candidate supporters, especially young people, that none of our state senators are vocally opposed to methane fracked gas expansion, including the one running for Governor, Dan Feltes. Supporting fossil fuel expansion is unacceptable and reckless.
When the ubiquitous leaks in the system, from extraction to transportation and delivery are factored in, methane fracked gas is equal to the carbon emissions of coal. Increasing fossil fuel infrastructure is an attempt to lock us into decades of continued use.
If NH invested in weatherization, insulation and energy conservation, 20% of our current energy use could be cut, alleviating any need for increased gas supply.
I requested a private meeting with Senator Feltes months ago to discuss this before going public, but received no response. If you meet Senator Feltes, I ask you to urge him to stop supporting the Granite Bridge pipeline that would go from Manchester to the seacoast and the massive 170’ tall, 200’ diameter fracked gas storage tank slated for a residential area of Epping NH. I would also ask him to appeal to NH’s state senators and the NH Democratic Party to stop supporting the project, coming out publicly against it. Ask his supporters to encourage him to oppose the project.
State senators have accepted Liberty Utilities NH’s talking points, claiming that gas will reduce carbon emissions from oil and coal, but with no apparent consideration for the information provided by climate action organizations. We have literally been asking them to reconsider their position for years, as the threat increases and evidence of impending ecological disaster becomes more apparent, with scientists pleading for immediate, aggressive action. Support of Granite Bridge (or refusal to oppose it) flies in the face of all reason and responsibility.
We praise our legislators for their commendable efforts in supporting increased renewable energy, net metering and electric vehicle charging stations. It’s time to remove the last and most damaging link in the carbon chain. Break free from fossil fuels Senator Feltes, and inspire the NH Democratic Party to join you in becoming climate heroes for the Granite State.
- SS
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