May 18th, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Catskill Mountainkeeper: Kathleen Nolan, MD, MSL, (845) 417-6489; k[email protected]
Coalition Against Pilgrim Pipelines -- New York: Iris Marie Bloom (845) 687-7810,[email protected]
Coalition Against Pilgrim Pipelines – Saugerties: Sue Rosenberg (914) 466-0954, [email protected]
New Yorkers Against Fracking: Jess Mullen (917) 500-8923, [email protected]
Coalition to Pilgrim: “What part of ‘no’ doesn’t the industry understand?”
Elected officials, activists rally in Kingston, opposing controversial proposed pipelines for crude oil and gasoline transport: “There is no red or blue water.”
Kingston, NY – Ulster County Chief Executive Mike Hein joined lawmakers from Esopus, Plattekill, Rochester and Esopus, and a diverse array of clean energy advocates including farmers, physicians, faith-based and civil rights leaders, all standing together to confront Pilgrim, the company planning to build two controversial proposed oil and gasoline pipelines through the Hudson Valley.
Behind a bold, colorful banner proclaiming, “No Crude Oil Through Our Towns: Coalition Against Pilgrim Pipelines-NY” the event celebrated 50 resolutions opposing Pilgrim pipelines, already passed in New York and New Jersey. However, those resolutions are not binding, and are seen as the opening salvo of a long struggle to stop Pilgrim pipelines. “Not one spill, not one drop, Pilgrim pipeline’s got to stop,” some called out.
The groups also called for an end to oil “bomb trains,” saying the combination of rickety infrastructure and tin-can rail cars is unsafe; and want to see oil barges off river.
Speakers listing harms to the region which they said would occur if Pilgrim pipelines are not stopped. Pilgrim pipelines would be drilled under the Rondout, Wallkill, Esopus, Ramapo and other New York and New Jersey rivers, putting waterways directly in the path of a major spill. Drinking water aquifers would also be at risk. Air would be impacted by toxic emissions of benzene and other carcinogens from pump stations along the pipeline, according to the CAPP-NY. Pipeline incidents such as leaks, spills, and ruptures happen about 1.7 times a day, according to federal data from PHMSA, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
“Pilgrim is misleading our communities when it says that its pipelines would be a safe alternative to move crude oil through NY,” said Jen Metzger, who introduced the first resolution of opposition in New York as a Rosendale Town Councilmember. “First of all, it is a statistical fact that pipelines spill more crude oil per ton mile than any other mode of transport, and government oversight of pipelines in the U.S. is notoriously underfunded and understaffed. Second, even the company does not claim there would be one oil train less if their pipelines were to be built. Pilgrim would only add a triple threat to our towns and watersheds.”
Ulster County lawmaker Carl Belfiglio commented, "As a County Legislator, I represent approximately 9500 Esopus residents along with all the towns affected by the pipeline. I'm calling on Pilgrim Pipeline Holdings LLC to cease the planning and development of this crude oil pipeline project in our County. My constituents are concerned that Esopus has barges along the Hudson River filled with Bakken Crude oil as well as miles of trains carrying Bakken crude through our town already. A pipeline would not decrease the shipping and rail transport of this dangerous material."
Carl Chipman, Supervisor of the Town of Rochester, focused on home rule, commenting: “Each community has the right under ‘Home Rule’ to determine whether or not to allow a pipeline such as this to run through it, as they must bear the brunt of dealing with the negative impacts caused by pipelines running within their borders. Many communities in our area have determined that the risks incurred by such a pipeline running through its boundaries outweigh any benefits they might receive. Their wishes must be respected.”
Creek Iversen, a sustainable farmer and ENJAN (End the New Jim Crow Action Network) member, said, “The Hudson Valley’s sustainable farmers and Indigenous Peoples’ groups, among the most caring and invested stewards of the land, say “NO” to reckless, short-sighted fossil fuel extraction and transportation, and the dangers it poses to the water, soil, and air upon which we depend. ENJAN sees the root cause as greed and exploitation to benefit a few corporate executives. We now join our efforts to end mass incarceration with the campaign to stop Pilgrim Pipelines.”
“Transporting Bakken Shale crude oil by pipeline puts at risk the health and safety of every individual and community along its path. We should be building wind farms and solar arrays rather than pipelines to transport dangerous carbon-based fuels that should stay in the ground. Saying 'no' to this pipeline is an important step in protecting our environment and our families, and weaning ourselves off of fossil fuels," said Kathleen Nolan, MD, of Catskill Mountainkeeper.
18 Endorsing Organizations: CAPP-SNY (Saugerties); Catskill Mountainkeeper; Citizens for Local Power; Concerned Citizens of Esopus; Concerned Citizens of Plattekill; ENJAN (End the New Jim Crow Action Network); Esopus Creek Conservancy; Food and Water Watch; Frack Action; Frack Free Catskills; Hudson Valley Progressives; Mid-Hudson Sierra Club; New Paltz Climate Action Coalition; New Yorkers Against Fracking; Protecting Our Waters; Riverkeeper. Rochester Defense Against Fracking; The Saugerties Democratic Committee
Background
Background information is available on participating groups’ websites, particularly:
Citizens for Local Power
Coalition Against Pilgrim Pipelines
Riverkeeper
Protecting Our Waters
Also see:
Pipelines Blow Up and People Die (Politico)
Pick Your Poison for Crude: Pipeline, Rail, Truck or Boat (Forbes).
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