Hi Michael, thank u for these minutes. I am reporting on this otp group at my
no ned affinity group next week. we are very interested in working with otp,
but not all of our members are able to come to all the meetings. Could you
provide the last names of the people at this meeting?? I know yours of course
and i believe its mary king.
From: pollitt.m@xxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2016 15:40:16 -0500
Subject: [otp] notes from 022416 Greenfield mtg.
To: otp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Present: Mary, Marty, Cliff, Jia, Charlotte, Kate, Jeremy, Richard, Michael
Mary K. sums up where we are in the fight:DPU holding hearings on a tarrif on
our electric bills and on access for surveyors for the pipeline onto private
and public lands; need for a rapid response system and occupying actions; need
to have actions/occupations close to compressor stations (which cant be
re-routed)DPU will give its thumbs up or down around May 1st. We need to be
ready by then.
Jeremy talks about wildlife mappings of areas with endangered species.
North Quabbin Pipeline Action group has a meeting March 24th at Erving Senior
Ctr 7p-9p regarding the DPU hearings - we might be the lead strategy group at
that meeting?
Marty talks about non-violent direct action and about the Ruckus Society which
can help train, strategize how to stop/delay things. Also mentioned "Security
Culture" concerns - handed out a Ruckus Society pamphlet on this subject. They
can send trainers from West Coast (at a cost).We have trainers and a lot of
knowledge/experience right around here.
Kate spoke about the "Blue Trees" actions - called "trigger-point activism" -
painting trees to create works of art that are then copyrighted and protected
from destruction. These actions have not been successful up to this point.
There is some legal precedent for this type of action in Canada.
Do we have legal advisors who can come to meetings to help us with informed
decisions?Do we act as clearing house for all the other organizations working
at many different levels to stop the pipeline?How about tractors and bulldozers
up against tractors and bulldozers?How about cultural resources, such as Mary's
spirals, built close to compressor stations?
Mary reports about the necessity to get the whole decision making out of FERC's
hands. The history of FERC shows that the current president/owner(?) of the
NED pipeline project was a founder of FERC. Would FERC ever rule against its
old boss? If a cultural resource such as a Native American site, an endangered
species, a historical or artistic resource becomes the focus of the pipeline
fight it is taken out of FERC's hands and put into the Cultural Resources
Administration for a decision.
Decision made to allow "nicknames", "initials" for signing authorship of
posts.Subcommittee formed to prepare a "points of unity"/agreements document, a
pledge of resistance list of people willing to be called for immediate direct
action and a contact tree system to be used to respond to calls for help from
land owners, etc who need help blocking/delaying actions on their lands. The
work of that subcommittee will be presented at the next meeting for acceptance.
People on that committee include Marty, Jeremy, Richard and Michael.
Our next meeting is on March 16th in the Greenfield Library as usual (LeVanway
room) 6:30pMarch 24th meeting at Erving Senior Ctr 7p-9p will prepare for the
meeting with the March 29th DPU public meeting at Greenfield on giving access
to pipeline crews to survey, etc the private a public lands through which the
pipeline is slated to go.March 29 meeting in Greenfield - DPU to take testimony
on giving public and private land access to pipeline crews.
Any missed info please add and send around. Michael Pollitt
--
Michael Pollitt
Radio & Story Producer
Spinning Tales Songs & Stories From All Walks of Life
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