A petition has been launched to thwart a natural gas pipeline expansion project that winds its way through the Hudson Valley into New England.
Texas-based Spectra Energy says it needs to expand the existing Algonquin and Maritimes pipelines "to meet critical demand for reliable electric power generation." The company announced its plans earlier this month.
"Spectra Energy stands ready with a unique solution to New England’s need for reliable electricity supply," said Bill Yardley, Spectra Energy’s president of U. S. Transmission and Storage, in a statement. "Our pipelines are in the right place at the right time to supply the region’s electric plants with affordable, clean, domestic natural gas. To enhance the reliability of approximately 60% of these generators, we can expand our mainline and lateral facilities along our existing pipeline footprint while minimizing the effect on communities and the environment."
The pipeline crosses through parts of Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties, and a group of residents is not happy about the planned project, in part for safety reasons and also what it could mean for their neighborhoods.
"The proximity of the high pressure pipelines and potential for an explosion could negatively impact your property, diminish its value, and reduce your quality of life," states Stop the Algonquin Pipeline Expansion group on its website.
The project is being reviewed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, according to The Journal News, and some residents of Cortlandt have written letters in opposition to the plan. A group of Peekskill residents are also planning to meet to discuss what they can do.
Click here and here to see Patch's past coverage of the Algonquin Pipeline issue.
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