Springfield Climate Justice Coalition holds lively rally and march on Sunday, May 21.
To stop the proposed Springfield-Longmeadow Eversource pipeline and to call for a halt on new gas projects in Massachusetts
Despite changing the date due to rain, a lively crowd of over 170 people rallied at Stearns Square on Sunday and marched from there to Bliss Street Regulator Station. A diverse and enthusiastic group, they joined Springfield residents and included representatives from the 153 organizations across Massachusetts that co-sponsored the action.
Speakers, all of whom reside or work in Springfield and Holyoke, focused on communities, climate, public health and a clean energy future. Instead of enabling profit, pollution, and pipelines, they called for no more sacrifice zones!
The focus of this event was twofold: (1) to amplify the voices of the growing movement to stop the Eversource’s proposed pipeline in Springfield and Longmeadow and (2) to call on the Healey administration to put a halt to new gas system expansions until we have a concrete plan for a just and rapid transition to the clean energy future we need for a livable ecosystem.
Musicians included Bomba de Aqui, a dance and music company that performs and teaches Afro-Puerto Rican traditions. They had the crowd up on their feet, dancing and energized for the work ahead to stop companies like Eversource from building new pipelines that lead to air pollution in cities like Springfield and worsen the climate crisis at a time when we need to move rapidly to clean, renewable energy.
Quote from Ana Lopez, high school student who lives in Springfield and is part of Youth Climate Action Now (YCAN).
There is a pattern within history that undermines the voices of marginalized communities. As a hispanic youth climate activist who lives in a predominantly hispanic city, I have seen first hand that we have a unique perspective that deserves to be heard.
When thinking about the Eversource natural gas pipeline, I wonder, why was it so easy for a corporation to decide that our health is compromisable and then I remember the large demographic of marginalized communities in Springfield. It is a classic case of environmental racism.
Environmental racism is the unequal distribution of environmental hazards based on race or socio-economic status. Low-income communities are often located near industrial sites or waste disposal facilities and to add to the list, pipelines. Which are all leading to increased rates of pollution.
Quote from Naia Tenerowicz, Springfield Climate Justice Coalition
One of the reasons we are here today is to continue our fight against the proposed Springfield-Longmeadow Eversource pipeline. The Springfield and Longmeadow communities are united in our opposition to this project, as are the Springfield City Council and the Longmeadow Select Board.
Join the Springfield Climate Justice Coalition to call not only for a stop to this pipeline, but also a halt on new gas system expansions throughout the state, for the sake of our communities’ well-being and for our climate future!