Groups to Rally Against Pipeline

Environmental Groups to Rally Against Gas Pipeline
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MARCH 24, 2016
Contact: Paula Clair [email protected] (845) 739-2141
Local and national organizations have joined ranks to organize a rally against the AIM fracked gas pipeline being built through Westchester, Putnam, Connecticut and on through New England.
The national environmental organization Food and Water Watch is collaborating with Stop the Algonquin Pipeline Expansion (SAPE), a local grassroots organization, and others to stage this rally. “Protecting Natural Resources, Health and Safety in the Hudson Valley, New York City, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Beyond” will be held on Sunday, April 3, 2016 from 2 PM to 4 PM at Riverfront Green in Peekskill, New York.
“We must immediately halt construction on the dangerous AIM pipeline. With New York already suffering from the effects of climate change, the state must aggressively transition away from fracking infrastructure – and from all fossil fuels. That should start with rejecting the AIM pipeline, positioned perilously close to the aging Indian Point nuclear facility,” said Alex Beauchamp, Northeast Region Director, Food & Water Watch.

The rally will focus a spotlight on the dangerous siting of the Spectra Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) fracked gas pipeline alongside the Indian Point nuclear facility, putting at great risk 20 million people including NYC, Wall Street and the economy of the United States.

Speakers will address issues related to all fracked gas pipeline systems. Topics include: 1) the health and safety risks to residents within a 50-mile radius of the Spectra AIM pipeline at Indian Point (NYC is 24 miles away), 2) damage to our air, water and agriculture from all fracked gas pipelines and their infrastructure, 3) the serious health impacts of pipeline compressor stations, pigging stations and other fracked gas infrastructure, 4) the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rubber-stamping of gas pipeline projects – Profit over People, 5) Civil Disobedience – a Growing Phenomenon and Why It Is Needed, 6) the exacerbation of global warming due to the massive amounts of methane leaked and blown out of the Spectra AIM and other gas infrastructure (methane is 86 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period) and 7) the considerable amount of carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds emitted by fracked gas compressor stations. (Example – over 300,000 tons annually at AIM’s Stony Point compressor station.)

Speakers and organizations will include Paul Gallay, Hudson Riverkeeper; Maya van Rossum, Delaware Riverkeeper; Rachel Marco-Havens & Aidan Ferris, Earth Guardians; Paul Blanch, Nuclear Expert; Pramilla Malick, Stop the Minisink Compressor Station; Courtney Williams, Resist AIM; New York State Assemblywoman Sandy Galef; Barbara Hough, Food and Water Watch; Peekskill Mayor Frank Catalina; Lisa Moir, Community Climate Initiative; and SAPE Co-Founders.

Governor Cuomo has ordered four state agencies to conduct a risk analysis on the construction and operation of the AIM pipeline at Indian Point and has requested a stay in construction until the risk analysis is completed. However, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has not responded to the governor’s request to protect the health and safety of New Yorkers. Construction is continuing.

The Pipeline Hazardous Materials and Safety Administration reported that there were 143 major accidents (1 in every 2½ days) in gas pipelines in 2015 in the United States.

“The federal government is ignoring serious safety issues related to the AIM project and its close proximity to the Indian Point nuclear reactors,” said Paul Gallay of Riverkeeper. “In fact, this project is all risk and no reward for those who live in our area. Serious questions exist as to its benefits even beyond New York. Valid concerns for public safety and good energy policy have been kicked to the curb by the feds in their heedless approval of the AIM project, which is simply unconscionable.”

Rally Co-Sponsors are:
Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, WESPAC, Stop the Minisink Compressor Station, Croton Climate Initiative, Stop the Pipeline, Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy, Resist the Pipeline West Roxbury, Delaware RiverKeeper, Connie Hogarth Center for Social Action – Mahattanville College, Federated Conservationists of Westchester County, Catskill Watershed Corporation, Dominican Sisters in Committed Collaboration (Amityville, Blauvelt, Caldwell, Hope and Sparkill) , Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, SEnRG, Grassroots Environmental Education, Resist AIM, Riverkeeper, Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Hudson Valley, Earth Guardians, People, not Pipelines, Earthworks, NYC Friends of Clearwater, Stop New York Fracked Gas Pipeline, Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, Climate Mama, Concerned families of Westchester, Rockland Coalition Against Fracking and Pipeline Expansion, Sane Energy

SAPE and Food and Water Watch invite everyone to come and add their voices to the fight against this dangerous pipeline.
RSVP to https://wwwfacebook.com/events/482075901917648/
For more information, visit www.sape2016.org