Response from Senator Markey regarding the PIPELINE
After reading numerous articles, both online and in print about the natural gas pipeline, I decided to contact both Senator Warren and Senator Markey about the pipeline. I received this response from Senator Markey:
EDWARD J. MARKEY 218 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
MASSACHUSETTS WASHINGTON, DC 20510
(202) 224-2742
United States Senate
July 10, 2014
MASSACHUSETTS WASHINGTON, DC 20510
(202) 224-2742
United States Senate
July 10, 2014
Dear Julie:
Thank you for contacting me concerning the safety of oil and natural gas pipelines and the Kinder Morgan natural gas pipeline proposal through Massachusetts. It was good to hear from you.
Before I was elected to the United States Senate, I was the Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee and a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, giving me close involvement in the debate over our country's energy policy and oversight of pipeline safety. Our nation's energy policy should protect the health and safety of Americans by strengthening environmental protections for our air and water, addressing the threat of global warming by reducing carbon pollution, enhancing our energy security by cutting our dependence on foreign oil, and creating jobs in the United States by encouraging the development of clean energy sources.
Thank you for contacting me concerning the safety of oil and natural gas pipelines and the Kinder Morgan natural gas pipeline proposal through Massachusetts. It was good to hear from you.
Before I was elected to the United States Senate, I was the Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee and a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, giving me close involvement in the debate over our country's energy policy and oversight of pipeline safety. Our nation's energy policy should protect the health and safety of Americans by strengthening environmental protections for our air and water, addressing the threat of global warming by reducing carbon pollution, enhancing our energy security by cutting our dependence on foreign oil, and creating jobs in the United States by encouraging the development of clean energy sources.
I remain committed in the Senate to ensuring that we have the strongest possible safety and environmental protections in place for all oil and gas pipelines. I will continue to closely monitor the status of the Kinder Morgan pipeline proposal through Massachusetts and ensure that there is proper opportunity for public involvement and input throughout the process. The company would be required to submit a formal proposal to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which would have to provide multiple opportunities for public comment and review during the agency's evaluation of the proposal.
I also share your concern over pipeline spills or incidents. Recent natural gas explosions are a reminder of the dangers posed by our crumbling natural gas distribution pipeline infrastructure. Last year, I released a report that found that over the last decade, Massachusetts consumers paid up to $1.5 billion for natural gas that they may have never received as a result of old, leaking pipelines. These leaking pipelines pose a threat to public safety and harm consumers and our environment by releasing powerful heat-trapping emissions.
That is why I have introduced two bills in the Senate, S. 1767 and S. 1768, to protect consumers and create good paying jobs by accelerating the repair and replacement of aging natural gas infrastructure and providing additional funds to do so. I will continue to fight to protect consumers, public safety and our environment by passing legislation that will create good jobs by providing more tools to states to repair these old, leaking pipelines.
Thank you again for contacting me about this issue. If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. To sign up for my newsletter, visit http://www.markey.senate.gov/newsletter. You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Sincerely,
Signature
Edward J. Markey
United States Senator
I also share your concern over pipeline spills or incidents. Recent natural gas explosions are a reminder of the dangers posed by our crumbling natural gas distribution pipeline infrastructure. Last year, I released a report that found that over the last decade, Massachusetts consumers paid up to $1.5 billion for natural gas that they may have never received as a result of old, leaking pipelines. These leaking pipelines pose a threat to public safety and harm consumers and our environment by releasing powerful heat-trapping emissions.
That is why I have introduced two bills in the Senate, S. 1767 and S. 1768, to protect consumers and create good paying jobs by accelerating the repair and replacement of aging natural gas infrastructure and providing additional funds to do so. I will continue to fight to protect consumers, public safety and our environment by passing legislation that will create good jobs by providing more tools to states to repair these old, leaking pipelines.
Thank you again for contacting me about this issue. If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. To sign up for my newsletter, visit http://www.markey.senate.gov/newsletter. You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Sincerely,
Signature
Edward J. Markey
United States Senator
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I read an article about the Tennessee Gas Pipeline in the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, News and Views. This is a bad situation for the land owners in the path of this pipeline. The pipe will be 30" in diameter and it requires a 50' right of way. It enters the state in Richmond (near Pittsfield on the New York border) and runs across the state through Berkshire, Franklin, Worcester and Middlesex counties to Dracut. Construction is planned to start in 2017 and be completed in 2018. The article warns people to pay attention to deadlines for comments and interventions.It is also important to learn about the "Laterals"(off shoots) that come off the maine gas line and spider into New Hampshire and many towns across the state connecting to existing to existing and additional pipelines. You also need to learn about Compressor Stations and noise abatement techniques. Depending on where the Compressor Stations are proposed to be located, you may want to request that they are located away from occupied buildings and animal confinements.This is a important article for the people involved to read, and from what I understand as a land owner has to understand what his rights are and what they are signing. This is a long and complicated process and it is important that the people who are going to impacted by this pipeline know their rights. Bev.
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