COMMENTS NEEDED ON LIBERTY UTILITIES PIPELINE DOCKET FOR GRANITE BRIDGE PIPELINE
* Sample script below!*
TOWNS ON THE GRANITE BRIDGE PIPELINE ROUTE
Manchester, Auburn, Candia, Raymond, Epping, Brentwood, Exeter, Stratham
OTHER TOWNS BEING TARGETED
- Concord: forced closure of a NH-sourced biofuel plant, replaced with natural (fracked) gas
- Hanover & Lebanon (pipelines)
- Keene (gas plant)
- Pelham & Windham
WHY THE SUDDEN PUSH FOR FRACKED GAS PIPELINES?
There's a "glut", a surplus of gas and the Northeast is being targeted for pipelines to get gas from PA to Nova Scotia for export, which will raise prices. The current effort appears to be segmenting pipelines, which can seem less threatening, then connecting them for export. The could also be increased in size over time.
REASONS TO OPPOSE LIBERTY UTILITIES' FRACKED GAS EXPANSION IN NH, INCLUDING GRANITE BRIDGE
- Natural (fracked) gas is methane. Pipelines frequently leak. The gas is odorless and colorless, toxic and contains trade secret chemicals. You can't see it or smell it when it leaks, but you're still breathing it.
- Pipelines have many accidents, explode and burn.
- Granite Bridge Pipeline is in close proximity to many schools and community centers.
- Pipelines have "blowdowns" that can happen any time, day or night, without notice. They are loud and offgas methane directly into the atmosphere.
- RATEPAYERS (you) PAY FOR PIPELINES with increased utility rates.
- Homes in proximity to pipelines can see a drop in their home value.
- Some homes may not qualify for home insurance or may incur increased rates for living near pipelines.
- What pipelines companies promise communities and customers is rarely delivered.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pipeline_accidents
- "Methane is about 30 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140327111724.htm
- NH is well behind our neighboring states in renewable energy and trying to reduce our already embarrassingly low renewable goals.
- Moose, lobster, shrimp, cod, maple trees, maple syrup and snow are already impacted by climate change.
- Renewable energy is increasingly popular with many happy customers watching their electric rates go down!
- Renewable energy - solar, heat pumps and offshore wind provide clean, safe, homegrown, renewable energy.
- Solar is booming in NH and sustainable permanent jobs keep increasing!
- Offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine could provide an abundance of homegrown, clean renewable energy!
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PIPELINE and an interactive map of the route
VIEW THE "LIST OF THE HARMED"
Learn about the impacts to the health of those living near the fracking fields, compressor and metering stations.
https://pennsylvaniaallianceforcleanwaterandair.wordpress.com/the-list/
NH PUC Docket # DG 17-198
https://www.puc.nh.gov/Regulatory/Docketbk/2017/17-198.html
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SCRIPT
Debra Howland
Executive Director and Secretary
New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission
21 South Fruit Street, Suite 10
Concord, NH 03301
RE: DG 17-198 Liberty Utilities Granite Bridge Project
Dear Ms. Howland,
This is a request for information pursuant to Puc 1 04 and Puc 201 .07. Please file this letter as a public comment.
I am deeply concerned about Liberty Utilities' proposed "Granite Bridge" pipeline that would run though the towns of Manchester, Auburn, Candia, Raymond, Epping, Brentwood, Exeter and Stratham.
Liberty Utilities says that the natural (fracked) gas pipeline is safe, but it's in our community, near homes, schools, town centers and places of worship. Our children would be exposed to toxic air of methane that contains trade secret chemicals.
Pipeline blowdowns are intentional releases of methane gas, directly into the atmosphere. They are loud and would pollute our air with chemicals that can be neither seen, nor smelled.
A steady flow of pipeline accidents, leaks and problems flood the news regularly. There's no need for us to put ourselves under that risk.
New Hampshire's solar industry is booming. It provides increasing sustainable jobs to happy customers who are seeing their utility bills decline.
The Granite State and it's important tourism industry is already suffering from climate change. Moose, lobster, shrimp, cod, maple trees, the quality of maple syrup and snow for winters sports have all been adversely impacted.
Fracked gas is being pushed on us so that suppliers can create a corridor through New Hampshire for export to Nova Scotia Canada and for export to European markets. I respectfully ask that you stop this pipeline now.
Liberty Utilities has asked the PUC for permission to extend its gas franchise into Lebanon, Hanover, Keene and now Manchester,
Auburn, Candia, Raymond, Epping, Brentwood, Exeter and Stratham. These communities are not in desperate need of the gas. There is no need for Liberty Utilities to fast-track permitting of this pipeline and to do so behind closed doors without
transparency and public approval.
I request unredacted copies of all documents that Liberty Utilities has submitted in support of its Granite Bridge petition, as identified in its motion for protective order. For the reasons explained
in the opposition to that motion, filed by the Office of Consumer Advocate, and because of the impact this project would have on the residents of our state and those living in impacted towns, I ask that the commission take this opportunity to establish transparency in its proceedings and release the redacted documents immediately and to continue to release any and all documents in relation to this and any other gas expansion projects in New Hampshire.
Thank you for taking the time to consider New Hampshire's future and the health and safety of our residents before granting permits to Liberty Utilities.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your address, phone, email]
c: D. Maurice Kreis, Consumer Advocate, donald.kreis@oca.nh.gov
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SUBMIT COMMENTS
Email docket filing to executive.director@puc.nh.gov.
IMPORTANT: This link is for transmittal of electronic filings only. The Commission does not review or save email transmittal messages so please do not include substantive information about the filing in your email transmission. The mailbox has an 8 mb limit per message and its associated attachments. If your document is larger than that, you may have to send multiple emails.
MORE ON DOCKET FILING & REQUIREMENTS
http://www.puc.state.nh.us/Regulatory/e-docketfiling.htm
Thank you for submitting comments in opposition to Liberty Utilities' natural (fracked) gas methane pipeline, Granite Bridge that runs from Manchester to Stratham (see map above).
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Learn more about the Granite Bridge Pipeline & LNG tank, see photos and video of the Epping tank site and a comparable tank, view our interactive map route indicating the blast zone and learn about the health and safety impact of pipelines.
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