Pipe Dreams

On Friday, April 22 officials from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced the denial of the Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification for the proposed Constitution Pipeline. Their reason: these certificates fail to meet New York State's water quality standards. You can read the full decision, outlined in a letter by John Ferguson, Chief Permit Administrator here (pdf).

The Constitution pipeline, a partnership between Williams Partners, Cabot Oil and Gas, Piedmont Natural Gas and WGL Holdings, was approved by FERC in December 2014. The proposed pipeline would transport gas from Susquehanna County, PA to Schoharie County, NY along a 124-mile route. In NY, Constitution proposed nearly 99 miles of new right-of-way for the 30-inch diameter pipeline, rather than co-locating within existing rights-of-way.

Stream bank clearing for pipelines harms trout habitat

DEC told the media that the agency had requested “significant mitigation measures” to limit impact on the 251 streams along the route. Many of those streams are unique and sensitive ecological areas, including trout spawning streams, old-growth forest, and undisturbed springs, which provide vital habitat and are key to the local ecosystems.

In addition, DEC requested that Constitution provide a “comprehensive and site-specific analysis of depth for pipeline burial to mitigate the project's environmental impact”. According to DEC’s announcement last week, Constitution failed to do this, providing only limited analysis for 21 of the 250 streams. The problem, notes DEC, is that pipes not buried deep enough can become exposed, and any action to correct problems could further affect streams and water quality. 

On Monday, April 25 Constitution Pipeline Company accused DEC of making “flagrant misstatements” and “inaccurate allegations” in defense of its permit denial. In a statement to the press, the pipeline company said DEC’s decision “appears to be driven more by New York State politics than by environmental science”

The company claims that they worked closely with DEC staff for more than three years to make sure that water quality concerns would be adequately addressed. “Completely contrary to NYSDEC’s assertion, we provided detailed drawings and profiles for every stream crossing in New York, including showing depth of pipe.  In fact, all stream crossings were fully vetted with the NYSDEC throughout the review process.” You can read their entire statement here.

No Freedom in this Independence Day Parade

The 4th of July is all about Freedom: the huge tea party in Boston Harbor that slaked nobody's thirst but instead got folks riled enough to say "enough!". And in small towns - at least here in upstate NY and the northern tier of PA - people take their 4th of July celebrations to heart. Just about every town has fireworks, a carnival down at the Legion field, and a parade down Main Street.

Small town 4th of July parades are great fun. The parade committee chooses a theme and neighbors get together to create floats. I've seen everything from flowery princesses to a pointedly political manure spreader.  And everyone gets to participate.

Except not this year. Not in Montrose, PA. Seems that the chairman of the parade committee is censoring free speech.

This year's parade theme is "Helping Your Neighbors" - a worthy theme given that the service clubs of Kiwanis, Lions, and Rotary are sponsoring and organizing the parade.So some neighbors who have been busy helping in the community were astounded when their float application was denied.

For the past two years, these neighbors have been delivering clean drinking water to people down the road in Dimock, who have been without drinking water due to nearby drilling. They washed and waxed their water delivery truck and wanted to decorate it with some banners to let people know the "Citizens for Clean Water" are actively "helping your neighbors".

The problem seems to be that helping one's neighbors by providing fresh water is too controversial. But, hey - a couple thousand years ago the idea of feeding the hungry and clothing the poor was controversial.

Given that our country was born of a protest movement, how did we come to this moment when only "acceptable" political opinions are allowed in a parade celebrating independence from tyranny?

So this 4th of July you won't see people who have truly been helping their neighbors marching in the parade. They have been relegated to the sidelines, where they'll proudly stand with their signs and tell any and all how to get involved helping people in need. 

Remembering Earth Day....

Many years ago - back in the last century millennium we gathered in great number and pushed our government to protect our air and water. The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970.

Later that year, on December 31, 1970, President Richard M. Nixon (R) signed the Clean Air Act and at the same created the Environmental Protection Agency to create and enforce regulations to protect people from air pollution hazardous to our health - specifically sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulates, ozone and lead.


Two years later Congress passed the Clean Water Act, overriding Nixon's veto, and in 1974 the Safe Drinking Water Act was signed.

from Marcellus Protest

In the past couple weeks, three years after BP's blow-out (rom which the Gulf is still recovering), we have seen pipeline ruptures, gas storage explosions and more. We continue burning fossil fuels as greenhouse gasses accumulate in our atmosphere, wondering what sort of world we are leaving our children.

Now, at the beginning of 13 years into the new century, we are back to where we started. This is what the world looks like to a child living in the Pennsylvania drill zone.

We could use some of those Clean Air and Clean Water regulations! What are we waiting for - a world when our children will have to fight over drinking water? Air so dirty they'll have to wear face masks?

Earth Day is about making sure the next generation - and the one after that - enjoy the same benefits we have: clean air, drinkable water, healthy food. In 1970 we talked about wind and solar energy. It's long past time for talking - it's time to get on the bus. Or off the pot. Or whatever will stir you to action.