FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 10, 2013
Contact:  info@sape2016.org or 914-525-8886 

(Montrose, NY) Over fifty groups from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts are joining the grassroots organization, Stop the Algonquin Pipeline Expansion (SAPE), in cosponsoring two critically important educational forums this week.  The first event will be held at Hendrick Hudson Library, 185 Kings Ferry Road in Montrose, NY on Wednesday, December 11.  The second forum will be held on Thursday, December 12 at the Mahopac Library, 668 Route 6 in Mahopac.  Both are scheduled from 7-9 p.m.  Experts from across the country who specialize in gas infrastructure, air quality and energy safety will address the public regarding pipeline safety risks and health impacts from Spectra Energy’s Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) Project.

Spectra Algonquin’s Incremental Market (AIM) project will go through Rockland County, cross the Hudson River and enter Westchester County near the Indian Point nuclear facility and will continue through Putnam County into Connecticut and through New England.  Compressor stations at Stony Point in Rockland County, NY and Southeast in Putnam County, NY will be greatly expanded.  Matt Walker, Educational Outreach Director of the Clean Air Council and one of the prominent speakers stated, “Spectra Energy’s AIM Project expansion and upgrades are expected to significantly increase the amount of air pollution emitted by two shale gas compressor stations in a region considered severely out of compliance with ozone standards.  FERC must complete a proper cumulative impact analysis, as well as alternatives analysis that considers renewable energy options.”

Wilma Subra, renowned chemist, microbiologist, former Vice Chair of the EPA National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology, and MacArthur Fellowship “Genius” award recipient will discuss how toxic emissions from compressor stations and other shale gas infrastructure negatively impact human and animal health.  Nadia Steinzor, Eastern Program Coordinator of the Oil & Gas Accountability Project at Earthworks will participate at the Mahopac event.  Ms. Subra, Mr. Walker and Ms. Steinzor have worked directly with frontline communities in the Marcellus Shale areas of the Northeast.

Gary Shaw of Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition will speak at Montrose and Richard Kuprewicz of AccuFacts, a pipeline safety expert, will participate via Skype for both forums.

Gas pipelines leak methane, a potent greenhouse gas, during normal operations.  Emissions from compressor stations and metering stations include formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and other toxins.     Ms. Subra stated, ”The project has the potential to negatively impact the health of the community for many decades.”

In addition to the issues related to air emissions, Marian Rose of Community Watersheds Clean Water Coalition said, “The AIM expanded pipeline would traverse the East-of-Hudson watershed that supplies NYC and Westchester with critically needed drinking water.  CWCWC deems this to be an unacceptable risk – adequate supplies of safe drinking water are more essential, in our opinion, than expanded supplies of natural shale gas destined for other regions.”

The events are free and open to the public.

SAPE Founders:  Paula Clair, Resident of Philipstown; Suzannah Glidden and Marian Rose, Community Watersheds Clean Water Coalition (CWCWC); Susan McDonnell, Cortlandt WATCH; Jerry Ravnitzky, Concerned Residents of Carmel & Mahopac; Ellen Weininger, Grassroots Environmental Education; Susan Van Dolsen, Westchester for Change

Co-Sponsors:  Air Soil Water; Better Future Project; Debby Bobson, Resident of Ardsley; Bronx Greens; Businesses Against Fracking NY; Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy; Catskill Mountainkeeper; Chefs for the Marcellus; Clean Air Council; ClimateMama; Coalition Against the Rockaway Pipeline; Community Watersheds Clean Water Coalition; Concerned Families of Westchester; Concerned Health Professionals of NY; Concerned Residents of Carmel & Mahopac; Cortlandt WATCH; Damascus Citizens for Sustainability; Delaware Riverkeeper Network; Essex/Passaic Green Party; Federated Conservationists of Westchester County; Food & Water Watch; Food & Water Watch NJ; GMOFreeCT; Grassroots Environmental Education; Hudson River Sloop Clearwater; Hutchinson River Restoration Project; Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition; League of Women Voters Rivertowns NY; New Jersey Sierra Club; New Yorkers Against Fracking; Northeast Organic Farming Association-CT; NYC Friends of Clearwater; NYH2O; Otsego 2000, Inc.; Pepacton Institute, LLC; Rockland Coalition Against Fracking; Roseland Against Compressor Station; SACRED; Sane Energy Project; Save Cummins Hill; Shut Down Indian Point Now!; Sierra Club Lower Hudson Group; Sister Carol De Angelo, Sisters of Charity; Stop the Minisink Compressor Station; The Mothers Project; Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Briarcliff, Croton and Ossining; United for Action; WESPAC; Westchester for Change; Westchester SAFE

For more information, please go to www.sape2016.org or https://www.facebook.com/groups/sape2016/