“I understand we’re to have a small atomic bomb in our back yard”, one Epping resident blurted out when asked if he knew that Liberty Utilities wants to site a massive liquified natural gas (LNG) tank within sight of his home in addition to the Granite Bridge Pipeline.
The tank would be 150-170 feet tall, 200 feet in diameter and have a 15 acre footprint. The monster they want to build in rural NH is larger than the “Rainbow Tank” in Boston. Complaints about constant truck noise, dust and road deterioration are common at such sites.
In 2014, Liberty Utilities joined oil and gas pipeline giant Kinder Morgan in trying to push the Northeast Energy Direct (NED) pipeline through Southern NH. Again, they’ve decided their profit trumps our peace of mind.
They’ll tell you they’re reducing CO2 emissions, but they’re increasing CH4, methane, a greenhouse gas 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
They say the LNG tank is to store up gas during the off months to save you money. How is charging you for a pipeline and LNG tank saving you money? Putting the risk on all their ratepayers saves them money.
Liberty Utilities is pushing gas projects, beyond our needs, that can be connected. If they export the gas, prices rise. There goes the promise of cheap fuel and electricity. You pay for the pipeline and they profit.
Just two weeks ago, I attended a pipeline regulation training in Houston, Texas. The overwhelming frustration of organizations representing pipeline-impacted regions was that the people are not asked if they want pipelines or given the opportunity to refuse them. All of these organizations were there due to accidents, health issues and other concerns. Almost all of them would have chosen to not have a pipeline in their community if they could stop it.
It’s in Liberty’s interest to push this pipeline through before you wake up and smell the propaganda.
Manchester, Auburn, Candia, Raymond, Epping, Brentwood, Exeter, Stratham and abutting towns, your chance to stop this is now. Volunteers will be outside Josiah’s Meetinghouse in Epping on Wednesday during Liberty Utilities’ open house. Come see us before you head in.
So, what’s your choice? Clean air, water, sustainable jobs and reduced energy bills renewables provide, or your family or business boosting their profits? You decide.
Stephanie Scherr, ECHO Action
Fitzwilliam NH
Submitted in full and in edited versions to various NH seacoast news outlets for publication.
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