Posted inUncategorized

Markey, Trahan file pipeline safety bill

THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY Columbia Gas of Massachusetts that it plans to replace hundreds of appliances in homes impacted by the September natural gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley coincides with the unveiling of a bill to make sure such a horror never happens again. Executives of the company announced Thursday that they plan to replace […]

Posted inThe Download

Markey, Trahan file pipeline safety bill

The announcement by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts that it plans to replace hundreds of appliances in homes impacted by the September natural gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley coincides with the unveiling of a bill to make sure such a horror never happens again. Executives of the company announced Thursday that they plan to replace […]

Posted inOpinion

Gas hookup moratoriums are not good for any of us

IN A RECENT COMMONWEALTH MAGAZINE op-ed, Kathryn Eiseman argued that moratoriums on gas hookup are a good thing. This demonstrated how short-sighted the opposition to natural gas supply expansion is in Massachusetts. It also fails to fully take into account the significant economic hardship to both the citizens and small businesses of our state — who will now be cut off from the most viable […]

Posted inOpinion

More pipelines aren’t the answer

NEW ENGLAND IS in the clutches of a frigid winter. This is putting demands on our energy resources and driving up electricity prices during the few hours of the day when consumer electricity use is highest. Concerns over these temporary price spikes are warranted, particularly given their impacts on our most vulnerable. But year after […]

Posted inEnvironment, Transportation

Kinder Morgan’s pipe dream is economic nightmare

THE JANUARY 22 opinion piece (“CLF’s contradictory philosophies”) by Anthony Buxton, an attorney for the energy company Kinder Morgan, argues that the Conservation Law Foundation’s (CLF) policy positions on MBTA fare hikes and electric consumer-funded natural gas pipelines are somehow contradictory. The problem with Attorney Buxton’s argument is that increasing gas pipeline capacity would neither […]

Posted inEnvironment, Opinion

Pipeline needed before it’s too late

SOME GAS OPPONENTS appear confused about the synergistic relationship between natural gas and renewables, as well as the climate benefits New England will realize with adequate natural gas pipeline capacity.  Both adequate gas capacity and increased renewables are essential to dramatically reducing New England’s carbon footprint, a conclusion supported by scientific studies. We formed Coalition […]