Rally Against Proposed Springfield-Longmeadow Natural Gas Pipeline, Saturday April 9
Photo: Piqsels.com. Creative Commons
Source: Climate Action Now MA
The Springfield Climate Justice Coalition (SCJC) and the Longmeadow Pipeline Awareness Group, along with57 co-sponsoring organizations (as of April 8), will hold a rally on Saturday April 9, to ramp up the campaign against Eversource’s proposed Springfield-Longmeadow natural gas pipeline. The event will be held outside Springfield’s Federal Courthouse building at 300 State Street beginning at 1 p.m. The location is wheelchair accessible and there will be Spanish language interpretation.
This rally is a registered event participating in Green Faith’s Sacred Season for Climate Justice. The event will begin with an opening prayer led by Apostle W. Faye August. The event will feature musical performances and a large slate of speakers.
Background
This high pressure pipeline would originate at a new point of delivery (POD) station in Longmeadow, travel under major roads, through residential neighborhoods in Longmeadow and Springfield, including many environmental justice communities, to connect with the Bliss Street Regulator Station in downtown Springfield.
Members of the Springfield and Longmeadow communities are joining together, supported by groups across the state, to oppose this proposed pipeline because it is unhealthy, dangerous, climate-changing, costly, and unnecessary. Speakers will reveal why this pipeline is not needed, how it will put the Springfield and Longmeadow communities at risk, disproportionately impact marginalized groups, and set us back in our efforts to meet the targets set by Massachusetts’ Climate Roadmap bill: 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
Eversource claims that this is a “reliability” project that will reduce Springfield’s vulnerability to gas supply disruptions. However, the Bliss Street Regulator Station would remain a single point of failure for Springfield’s entire gas supply. In reality, this proposed pipeline is not about reliability. In the face of the climate emergency, this pipeline would deepen Springfield’s reliance on natural gas, increase Eversource’s profit margin, and keep this fossil fuel company in business despite the state’s efforts to decarbonize our society and reach net zero by 2050. Even as we are fighting this pipeline, we are working towards a clean energy future for Springfield, Longmeadow, and Massachusetts grounded in the principles of energy democracy.
Speakers
The rally will feature speakers from a variety of backgrounds and organizations, including:
Councilor Jesse Lederman – Springfield City Councilor At-LargeCouncilor Zaida Govan – Springfield Ward 8 City Councilor
Rep. Jake Oliveira – MA State Representative, 7th Hampden district
Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas – Missioner for Creation Care for the Episcopal Diocese of Western MA and Southern New England Conference, and United Church of Christ
Jenny Girona – Representing Women on the Vanguard inc.
Monte Pearson – Member of 350 MA and the Fix the Grid Campaign
Candejah Pink – Springfield resident, Vice President of Chess Angels Promotions, member of the Springfield Climate Justice Coalition
Naia Tenerowicz – Springfield resident, member of the Springfield Climate Justice Coalition and Climate Action Now
Tanisha Arena- Executive Director, Arise for Social Justice
Jackie Velez-Springfield Climate Justice Coalition
Terry Gibson-Neighbor to Neighbor
Steve Marantz – Longmeadow resident
Dr. Sonji Johnson-Anderson
Representative Bud Williams
Representative Brian Ashe
and a statement from Senator Edward Markey
Rally Organizers
Springfield Climate Justice Coalition
Longmeadow Pipeline Awareness Group
Co-sponsoring Organizations:
| 1199SEIU |
| 350 Central Mass |
| 350 Mass |
| Alden Baptist Church |
| All Saints Episcopal Church, Worcester |
| Arise for Social Justice |
| Armory Quadrangle Civic Association |
| Berkshire Environmental Action Team |
| Chess Angels Promotions Inc |
| Christ Church Cathedral |
| Clean Water Action |
| Climate Action Now |
| Coalition for a Livable Future |
| Community Action Works |
| Demilitarize Western Mass |
| East Forest Park Civic Association |
| Elders Climate Action – MA Chapter |
| Environmental Justice Team at First Church Longmeadow |
| Extinction Rebellion Western MA |
| Grace Church – An Episcopal Community in the Southern Berkshires |
| Grace Episcopal Church |
| Greater Springfield Campaign Nonviolence |
| Green Rainbow Party |
| Hitchcock Center for the Environment |
| Indian Orchard Citizens Council |
| Interfaith Council of Greater Springfield |
| ISO- Fix the Grid Campaign |
| Massachusetts Climate Action Network |
| Massachusetts Jobs with Justice |
| Massachusetts Poor People’s Campaign Men of Color Health Awareness McKnight Community Development Council |
| Mothers Out Front Massachusetts |
| Mothers Out Front Northampton Area |
| Neighbor to Neighbor |
| No Fracked Gas in Mass North Parish Climate Justice Group |
| Out Now |
| PATH Ashfield |
| Pioneer Valley Project |
| Resist the Pipeline |
| River Valley DSA |
| Rust Temple |
| Save Massachusetts Forests |
| Sinai Temple Green Team |
| Sinai Temple Social Action Committee |
| Social Justice Commission (Episcopal Diocese of Western MA) |
| Sojourner Truth School for Social Change Leadership |
| Springfield No One Leaves |
| St. John’s Episcopal Church |
| St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, East Longmeadow |
| The Enviro Show |
| Traprock Center for Peace & Justice |
| Unitarian Universalist Mass Action |
| Unitarian Universalist Society of Greater Springfield |
| Wellspring Cooperative |
| Women on the Vanguard Inc Contacts Contact: Naia Tenerowicz – rovingrabbit@protonmail.com – 303-906-3848 Verne McArthur – vernemca@gmail.com – 413-439-3324 |
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