Thank you for that report, Alistair. It sickens me to think of that family
losing 80% (200) of their trees, and I think this points to the need for haste
here in the valley.
Thank you for going to Pa. Diane
On Saturday, February 20, 2016 11:41 PM, Alistair MacMartin
<macmartin4@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Folks
I stopped at the protest site for the Constitution pipeline last thursday
afternoon and had a really great visit with some folks there. The main guy I
talked to has been boiling sap for 21 days in a temporary camp they have set up
right on the pipeline path. A judge has issued a "partial order to proceed" to
allow pre-construction tree cutting to begin, even though the FERC permitting
is not yet complete for the pipeline. They hope to have it built and in
service by the end of this year. The NED pipeline coming our way will parallel
this one for a while, then veer north toward us.
My contact said they received no warning whatsoever about surveyors coming on
to the property. you can see the orange stakes running through the bush and
open fields marking the pipeline path. Most of the neighbors are fine with the
pipeline. Many of them got money for fracking rights on their properties
anyway. Surveying consisted only of orange ribbons on trees and stakes. There
was no tree cutting or blasting etc involved.
Local and state police have refused to move the protesters but there was a
hearing yesterday in federal court to authorize federal marshals to run them
off. I have not heard yet the result of that but its possible that the trees
have been cut down by now. The path goes right through a working sugar bush.
I am submitting a short piece for the montague reporter this week where you can
read a little more.
It was very encouraging to meet these folks. They do not hold out much, or
any, hope of stopping the Constitution pipeline but, they have definitely
raised awareness of the issues. They have had supporters come from 7 states to
show solidarity.
talk more soon.
Alistair.
--
This email is being monitored by Google and the NSA
