GREENFIELD, MA—Despite below zero temperatures, some 60 walkers from central Massachusetts and Vermont made their way through Greenfield on President’s Day to oppose the Berkshire Gas moratorium and the proposed Kinder-Morgan Northeast Direct Pipeline.
Led by Jennifer Caron of Wendell and anchored by Sister Clare Carter and Brother Toby Keyes of Leverett’s New England Peace Pagoda, walkers joined some 20 picketers at Berkshire Gas offices on Mill Street where demonstrators stood vigil with colorful banners and signs.
The No NED Pipeline Affinity Group sponsored the walk organized by Hattie Nestel of Athol and Laurel Facey of Wendell.
In all, walkers covered about five miles from Greenfield Community College via the Berkshire Gas office to First Church Congregational on Silver Street where church volunteers offered lunch to all participants.
“I was afraid cold weather would keep people away,” said Nestel. “But they showed up. This demonstrates the strength of convictions against the pipeline.”
Singers Annie Hassett, Michael Nix, and Ben Grosscup of Greenfield sent walkers off from GCC. Speakers at the church included Atty. Ted Lesser, who has filed a suit against Berkshire Gas for breach of contract with customers on account of the moratorium; Pat Hynes of Traprock Center for Peace and Justice, who discussed benefits of solar and wind power; Sister Clare, who encouraged walkers to join the Pagoda’s Walk for a New Spring to Washington, DC, from March 4 to April 28; and Rosemary Wessell of nofrackedgasinmass.org, who explained positions of the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities and encouraged attendance by pipeline opponents at upcoming DPU hearings.
Endorsing the walk were Climate Action Now; the Justice & Witness Council and Environmental Ministries Task Force, United Church of Christ; the Peace Pagoda; Pioneer Valley Mothers Out Front; Traprock.