Above photo: Rene Theberge.
The Springfield Climate Justice Coalition and Longmeadow Pipeline Awareness Group held a press conference on the steps of Springfield City Hall on May 31, highlighting the opposition of many Springfield and Longmeadow residents and organizations to Eversource Gas’ proposed high-pressure gas expansion pipeline that would run beneath the streets of Springfield and Longmeadow. The press conference was held in response to Eversource initiating the process it must go through to obtain all necessary permits to build and operate the pipeline.
Speakers included Springfield City Council member Zaida Govan, Kristen Elechko from Senator Ed Markey’s office, Terry Gibson from Neighbor to Neighbor, Tanisha Arena from Arise for Social Justice. There was also a spoken word performance by poet Sonji Johnson-Anderson representing Crossing the Waters.
Issues raised by speakers:
1. Environmental justice. The pipeline would run through many environmental justice (EJ) communities in Springfield, which under Massachusetts law are entitled to special protection. These largely low-income and minority communities are already targeted by polluting industries, resulting in health concerns and disproportionate rates of illness. These communities, already struggling under layers of systemic oppression and inequality, have fewer resources to protect themselves from these polluting projects. Springfield residents already suffer from high rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses, which would be worsened by the methane that would inevitably leak from the pipeline.
The Next Generation Climate Roadmap Act, passed over Governor Baker’s veto, requires that he appoint an Environmental Justice Advisory Council to advocate for EJ communities. In over a year, the Governor has not filled a single seat on this council. According to the same law, the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act office (MEPA) must conduct an Environmental Impact Review (EIR) of this project. It remains to be seen if this will happen, given that the EJ Advisory Council is not in place to enforce it.
This project would not only put public health at risk through air pollution; it would increase the risk of fires and explosions. Springfield has already experienced one devastating gas explosion in 2012. The proposed pipeline would run at more than triple the pressure of the current system, increasing the risk of explosions. The proposed regulator station in Longmeadow, less than a third of a mile from Wolf Swamp Elementary School and in a residential neighborhood, would be unstaffed, putting elementary school students and residents of that community at risk.
2. The climate crisis. The “Climate Roadmap” law also mandates emission reductions, with specific timelines. However, there has been no accounting of how this new pipeline will affect future emissions. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently said that any new investment in fossil fuel infrastructure was “moral and economic madness.” Opponents of the pipeline agree, pointing out that the recent UN climate report states that the use of gas must be drastically reduced over the next decade. Building a new gas expansion pipeline makes no sense.
3. Eversource’s motivation. Eversource outlined their strategy in a leaked industry presentation: to create fears of failures and blackouts if communities transition to renewable sources of energy, thus keeping them dependent on gas. Eversource does not claim that Springfield needs more gas, instead claiming that this is a reliability project and, following their strategy, by playing on fears of scarcity and outages. The proposed pipeline is described as a backup for the current pipeline in case it fails. However, even if the new pipeline is constructed, it would run through the same regulator station as the existing pipeline, making the Bliss St. Regulator Station in Springfield a single point of failure for Springfield’s entire gas supply, contradicting Eversource’s reliability argument.
This pipeline is simply an expansion of the current system. Speakers pointed out that Eversource profits handsomely from building new infrastructure, and that reliability needs would be better addressed by helping residents transition to renewable sources of energy.
4. Cost to ratepayers. The estimated cost of the pipeline is between 35 and 45 million dollars. This cost would be borne by ratepayers, along with the 9.67% annual return on equity allowed to Eversource by Massachusetts state law. Many ratepayers in these EJ communities already struggle to make ends meet, and are tied to Eversource, as they cannot afford the initial expense of switching to heat pumps and clean, green, non-polluting energy sources. Furthermore, as climate policy advances, the pipeline is likely to become a stranded asset — another cost to be borne by ratepayers.
What can we do to stop the pipeline?
Eversource is in the process of requesting the needed permits and reviews. On May 16th, Eversource Gas Company of Massachusetts submitted an Environmental Notification Form to the Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs. This step initiated MEPA’s review of the “Western Massachusetts Gas Reliability Project.” MEPA has the authority to order an Environmental Impact Report, which could determine that the project does not comply with MEPA regulations. This could put a stop to the proposed pipeline expansion project.
On May 26th, Eversource filed with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and the Massachusetts Energy Facility Siting Board (EFSB). The EFSB has the power to deny the project’s siting application, but seldom exercises this power. The Environmental Justice seat in the EFSB has been empty since January 2021, meaning that no one in the EFSB is representing the concerns of EJ communities like Springfield. In addition to seeking their approval of this project, Eversource is asking the DPU to provide exemption from local zoning laws, including a Longmeadow town ordinance that opposes the construction of new fossil fuel infrastructure in residential neighborhoods. The DPU could refuse to grant this exemption, which would disallow the pipeline.
“We are asking Massachusetts residents who support our fight against this pipeline to submit written comments to MEPA by June 14th urging them to conduct an Environmental Impact Report, as the Climate Roadmap Act requires,” said Candejah Pink, a lead organizer of the Springfield Climate Justice Coalition, Springfield No One Leaves, and 1199SEIU, “We are calling on MA Attorney General Maura Healey to come to the defense of our communities and to do everything in her power to urge MEPA, the EFSB, and the DPU to comply with the Climate Roadmap Act. We ask our allies and supporters to call Attorney General Healey’s office to ask the same.”
The Springfield Climate Justice Coalition, the Longmeadow Pipeline Awareness Group and their many allies will continue their efforts to stop this proposed expansion pipeline, motivated by the need to protect their communities, the necessity of ensuring environmental justice and the urgency of protecting the ecosystem.