Direct Action at Spectra Energy's Construction Site

photo credit: Stephanie Keith

Press Release 
September 7, 2012

On Thursday, September 6, 2012, at approximately 9:30 am, five activists disrupted construction on Spectra Energy's Pipeline by putting their bodies in front of a back hoe and sitting in the rubble underneath the shovel. Work stalled for three hours and the NYPD arrested two people.

There were upwards of 75 New Yorkers present to voice their outrage over Texas-based Spectra Energy Corp.’s construction of a high pressure gas pipeline on the Gansevoort Peninsula, at the intersection of Gansevoort Street and the West Side Highway.

Occupy the Pipeline--a growing coalition of activists, grass roots organizations and local residents, including the Environmentalist Solidarity Group of OWS, New York Grassroots Alliance to Save our State (NYGRASS), and United for Action (UFA)--have launched a multi-tiered campaign to stop the construction of this pipeline, on the grounds that this pipeline poses serious health risks to all of NYC through increased explosion risks and increased exposure to radon. This coalition argues that the construction of the pipeline will increase reliance on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a controversial method of shale gas extraction. This coalition fuses direct action tactics with a more traditional approach to environmentalism.

Prior to the arrests, the activists  had refused to evacuate the site at the request of Hudson River Park police, who then called in the NYPD. Two of the protesters—Monica Hunken and Sandra Koponen—were later arrested on charges of trespassing.

"I am here because I don't want to live where the water is contaminated, the air is unbreathable and the people don't come out to take care of our environment,” said Sandra Koponen. “We must start living in a way that does not destroy the planet.  Divest from fossil fuels and don't vote for politicians that continue the madness of our dependence on fossil fuels."

"This battle against the Spectra Pipeline is not an isolated issue. This is one piece of a very large fight,” said Monica Hunken. “We stand in solidarity with the people of all New York.  We will not let any people be sacrificed in our state, no matter how rural, no matter how poor, no matter how out of the way.  Whether it's right here in the West Village or in the southern tier, we will fight the fracked gas industry everywhere!"

“This pipeline will benefit the very wealthy while putting residents of NYC at risk of exposure to dangerous levels Radon Gas in their homes,” said Lopi LaRoe. “When government fails to protect public health, it’s up us to protect ourselves.”

These arrests came almost simultaneously with the arrests of protesters in Watkins Glen, NY, who were opposing the proposed use of massive underground salt caverns for storage of natural gas. These arrests for civil disobedience in opposition to fracking and fracking infrastructure in New York come in the wake of the huge rally in Albany on August 27th,  where some 2500 protesters delivered a Pledge of Resistance to Governor Cuomo. More than 4600 people have now signed this pledge, which calls for civil disobedience to stop fracking and fracking-related activities in New York.

Since the proposal for the Spectra pipeline first came to light approximately two years ago, local opposition to this pipeline has steadily spread and intensified. More civil disobedience is sure to come.

Sunday Sept 9th at 3pm, Occupy the Pipeline is inviting concerned people in the neighborhood to come out and join us for an afternoon potluck full of fracking-themed dishes. There will be a dance party on the pier, children's games and a teach-in on civil disobedience. At the end of 12th street in the Hudson River Greenway there is a children's playground. Come find us out on the end of the pier!

You can find out more information on this ongoing campaign to stop spectra pipeline at: http://occupythepipeline.blogspot.com/
our facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/OccupyThePipeline
you can follow us on twitter at: @occupy_pipeline
text @fracked to 23559 for action alerts

Pipeline Construction Halted for 3 Hours by Direct Action

This morning may be a first in New York State. Three activists interrupted work at Spectra Energy's Pipeline construction site by sitting under a back hoe. The back hoe operator just looked at us when we, three women, climbed over the cement barricades and held our hands up showing him he had to stop digging or he would harm us. He stopped digging. 

We sat down in the dirt where he was digging. We were armed with nothing but our wills and cardboard signs. The security man was the first to approach us. "You ladies have to move off of here" We shook our heads and kept chanting. Next was the parks service guy "You're going to have to move off here" No, we again refused consent. 

After all, who asked our consent when they decided to build a 30 in diameter fracked gas pipeline into NYC? We spoke out against it, went to community board meetings ad nauseum, signed petitions, wrote in during public comment periods and NO ONE LISTENED TO US. So now? Maybe they will listen when we hurt them in the only place they still have any feelings left. In their bank account.

We have very little alternative but to put our bodies in the way to stop this insane project. The regulatory bodies are in collusion with the industry. Conflict of Interest is their middle name. They've stripped our clean water acts, our clean air acts to suit their plans. The government is obviously not going to protect the public good. So now it is up to the public to protect ourselves. What other choice do we have but to sit and watch them destroy all means of sustenance on the planet? Is there not a more intrinsic resource we have but our water?

There are legal avenues to go down. There are a few lawsuits presently pending, we are not at liberty to divulge particulars, but there seems to be a positive outlook in that camp. 

In the meantime, We will Occupy the Pipeline in every way imaginable. We are creative. We will not succumb to the creeping apathy coupled with the feeling of powerlessness that renders the population putty in the hands of the corporate state. One way to wake up your feelings of empowerment is to step in front of a back hoe that is currently in motion, digging a pipeline you know will bring death into the city, be it a slow death by cancer or a quick and glorious demise in a fiery inferno. 

 We stopped the construction for a few hours altogether. The workers seemed to like us. We got them some overtime pay today! We sat in the rubble where the back hoe was digging and mic checked and chanted for a while. Several other activists spontaneously joined us in the pit, until we were 5 strong. 

The NYPD eventually arrived. Our police liaison or "cop whisperer" as we like to call them, brought the message to us in the pit that we were being warned to disperse from the site before the lieutenant arrives or else be arrested. We decided that we would not be arrested that day. We mic checked messages to the workers "We want better jobs for you, Green Jobs that sustain the planet" We mic checked the Police "We would like to see some arrests happen down on wall street" We chanted and sang and then we exited the space. 

A few NYPD squad cars were there. A fake taxi cab cop car was there. Then, suddenly, two of the activists decided to jump back into the pit and face arrest. These two brave women did get arrested pretty much immediately. The police took them to the 6th Precinct. They were both out in less that 2 hrs.

We are returning for ROUND TWO tonite. Join Us. If not Now, then When? If not You, then Who?

check below for photos from today!

 photo credit: Stephanie Keith

photo credit: Stephanie Keith

cop whispering is fun

photo credit Stephanie Keith

 

photo credit Stephanie Keith

photo credits: Jason Brock & Lopi LaRoe

Radon

This doesn't include the 30,000 new cases of lung cancer due to radon poisoning expected if Spectra Energy brings Fracked Gas from the Marcellus Shale Formation in Pennsylvania into NYC. 

According to a study conducted by Radioactive Waste Management:

Radon in Natural from Marcellus Shale  by Marvin Resnikoff, Ph.D.

"The number of persons potentially at risk in New York State can be roughly determined 
by the number of kitchen stoves fueled by natural gas in New York State multiplied by  
the number of persons in a household.  According to the US Department of Energy
23, the number of households with natural gas fueled stoves in New York State is 4.4 million.  
From the 2010 Census, the average number of persons per household in New York State 
is 2.69.  Thus 11.9 million persons in New York State are potentially at risk.  Multiplying 
the lifetime risk of inhaling radon gas by the number of persons in New York State at 
risk, we finally determine the potential number of lung cancers as ranging between 1183 
to 30,484, out of a population at risk of 11.9 million.  This is a major environmental 
impact and a public health impact that the New York Department of Environmental 
Conservation must carefully assess."

Breaking Ground to Poison NYC

Spectra Energy started construction this morning on the pipeline connecting us directly to the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania.
They intend to reap the profits off of selling this Fracked Gas to foreign markets as well as to Con Edison in NYC.
This is particularly oneus considering the fact that the Marcellus Shake formation produces gas that has extremely high concentrations of Radioactive Radon Gas released during the process of Hydro Fracking.
The Radon Gas would then be piped along with the "natural" gas straight to NYC at a rate too rapid to allow the Radon to decay. It arrives here at at least 25 times the standard safety levels of Radon Gas for human proximity.
Bloomberg plans to store this radio active gas right in the heart of NYC's West Village. Not only that, but he plans on having it piped directly into our homes, restaurants, schools and hospitals for cooking & heating.
Radon Gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer according to the surgeon general.
What Spectra Energy wants to do, along with its big bank backers Chase, JP Morgan & Wells Fargo is the equivalent of making smoking tobacco mandatory for all nyc residents.
Spectra and Wall Street have plans to poison us. This is only the tip if the iceberg. We will be making an announcement, a call out for concerned citizens to come out and defend public health by putting their bodies on the line. Stay tuned by texting @fracked to 23559 for direct action alerts on your phone. This must be stopped!!
Call Mayor Bloomberg:

212-772-1081

let him know, No Fracking Way.
DONT FRACK WITH PUBLIC HEALTH







the barge carrying equipment


photo credits: Monica Hunken

CARP & Blockade Training TODAY

Blockade Training will be taking place at 5pm, today (Sunday) at the Brecht Forum Courtyard
451 West Street by Bethune St
Things are heating up, we need to be prepared for action!

Smokey the Bear Says....Radon Gas is Bad for Kids