March 29, 2024

It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over- Don’t Take Down Your NO COMPRESSOR Signs!

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This last April, a resounding “NO” vote against the compressor station in town was a tremendous step in the right direction in the fight to stop Spectra/ Enbridge’s pipeline expansion plan. With that win, Rehoboth residents got the support of our BOS, which was followed by a letter by them stating their opposition to the project. Copies were sent to our state and federal legislators, Spectra/ Enbridge and the FERC (Federal Regulatory Energy Commission). This was followed by Town Resolution against the Compressor Station and new pipelines, thus aligning us with Attleboro, Seekonk and 350+ other towns taking a stand against Spectra/Enbridge. The Rehoboth BOS also agreed in May, to file a request with the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) to conduct water/soil testing where the Rehoboth pipeline leaks occurred in our wetlands in September 2016. Then at the Special Town Meeting in May, Rehoboth unanimously voted in a new zoning bylaw amendment (Article 12) requiring baseline testing for air, water, and health for applicable industrial projects. Also last month, our Rehoboth Board of Health agreed to sign onto a statewide petition circulated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health opposing gas pipeline expansion.

In the interim, a committee of CARCS members met and drafted a comprehensive list of bylaw amendments to protect our town from compressor stations, power plants and new metering stations. On June 7th by invitation of the Planning Board, CARCS submitted their bylaw amendments for discussion, which will in turn go to the BOS and town council and onto the warrant for the next town meeting vote. Also at the state level, several good bills have lately been introduced by our legislators to protect the public from the negative impacts of pipeline infrastructure and to promote clean energy. Our Representative Howitt has introduced several bills, as well as Representatives Heroux, Haddad, and Senators Pacheco, and O’Conner- just to name a few.

Meanwhile, on the broader stage, Spectra Energy was bought out by Enbridge Inc (Canada)- making it the largest pipeline infrastructure company in North America, while the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has been stalled for some months due to lack of a quorum. Without a quorum, pipeline projects cannot move forward, but inevitably FERC will be back to rubber stamping new pipeline projects regardless of the environmental and human toll. And although Access Northeast (ANE) is still delayed, we haven’t any indication that Enbridge is any less interested in getting the gas to export for profit than Spectra was. We therefore can expect their further attempts to find alternate means for consumers to pay for their project.
We should all be gratified by the progress we’ve made locally, and heartened that we have used our time wisely. Yet It would be a mistake to let our guard down, or to think our time will not come. Take a look at the compressor station battle in Weymouth MA, or look in the other direction at beleaguered Burrillville RI, and you will see what potentially lies ahead for us. Attleboro and Seekonk we need you to stay engaged- we are much stronger together! Just as Rehoboth is stepping up to the plate, we need you to continue to do the same- the compressor station will not be any less on your doorstep than it was before! Our towns need to maintain as unified and formidable a presence as possible- with more signs on lawns, and more CARCS shirts on more backs! CARCS needs more volunteers as we move ahead, not less! So, put those No Compressor signs backup, and let’s keep the momentum going!

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