Hi Charlotte,
I hesitated to use last names because I wasnt sure it was necessary and I
wasnt sure how those people felt. I guess its worthwhile asking at the
next meeting.
Michael
On Mon, Feb 29, 2016 at 10:00 AM, Charlotte Gordon <chuckagordon@xxxxxxxxxxx
wrote:
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) 6:30p
*March 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
Friday 4p-6p; Sunday 1p-3p
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