by Northfield Selectman, Julia Blyth, Boston Globe
July 27, 2017
It was with great interest that I read about Governor Baker’s recent letter directing state agencies to investigate compressor station issues in Weymouth (“Baker pushes on gas facility,” Metro, July 18). As a selectman in Northfield, where a massive compressor station was proposed along Kinder Morgan’s now-canceled Northeast Energy Direct pipeline, I am glad to see the state stepping into an active role of hearing citizens and advocating for their health and safety.
Two years ago, with a compressor station looming, like Weymouth we did our best to research potential air and water pollution and associated health impacts. While our community has been spared (for now), I offer our example as encouragement to the concerned citizens of Weymouth: You are not alone in this struggle.
Many of my neighbors who first learned about the dangers of natural gas pipeline infrastructure when it was a threat to our town continue to actively oppose unnecessary pipeline build-out in Otis State Forest in Western Mass. We enthusiastically support energy policy that includes demand response, weatherization, and energy efficiency, as well as sensibly sited renewable energy and an updated grid that can handle distributed generation.
We must get beyond gas, for the sake of the climate, a truly reliable grid, and stable electricity prices.
Julia Blyth
Northfield
No Fracked Gas in Mass 