Archive: Opinions

As a woman I am vigilant about safety.  As a survivor of rape I access to the best of my ability if am safe on the streets where I need to go. As a former corrections officer I was trained to evaluate all possible threats that would prevent me from maintaining health, safety and welfare of those I was sworn to protect.

I travel frequently to Watkins Glen to pick organic berries on the banks of Seneca lake. My family enjoys music and visiting friends. I wasn't aware that Crestwood Midstream is storing billions of cubic feet of highly explosive gasses until this Texas based corporation applied to the federal government to expand doubling it's capacity to 2.5 billion. The capacity combined with the geology that doesn't support safe storage of highly volatile hazardous gasses as revealed by it's previous owners poses risks that I am uncomfortable taking.

The disclosures by scientist, medical professional and engineers describes that not only is the general public forced to endure unacceptable risks like loss of life, property and damages that cannot be repaired or remediated by funding.

The responsibilities for clean up when the facility suffers failures as all other salt mines in the US have suffered failures, some catastrophic, like Lake Peigneur in Louisiana. This fresh water lake supported tourism, farming and provided fresh drinking water but an engineering error caused the lake bed to be punctured draining the entire lake into the emptied salt mines where they were making new caverns for carbon storage. It remains one of the most astonishing films I have ever seen as all the boats were pulled down into the mines and trees and docks pulled away from the shorelines as the water rapidly drained in 2 days time. It turned to salt water and remains unusable even today 35 years later.

My college studies included geology and I know that fault lines are known and unknown and present risks to all other lakes fed by Seneca. An explosion in a small town in Kansas 8 miles away from the actual salt mine storing gas erupted killing people and leveling buildings. In Bayou Corne, La. a gas storage facility erupted resulting in a spill that remains out of control today 3 years later. All 350 families evacuated never returned. The company, Texas Brine did not aid the locals in relocation and is being pursued by landowners who faced total loss.

I fear far less a physical rapist or thief grabbing my money as I stroll the streets of Watkins Glen.  What is far more dangerous a threat to public safety is a corporate criminal like Crestwood Midstream. This Texas based company is uninsured for the damages their facility poses to loss of life, property, health, water contamination and loss of business.  Crestwood tells employees they are safe. How can anyone be 'safe' when in a salt mine home to explosive gasses under pressure and volatile with every movement the earth makes naturally considered safe?

Data reveals catastrophic explosions resulting in deaths, water contamination and evacuations to small towns has already occurred. The Kalamazoo River, the Gulf Coast no longer home to fishing and tourism economies because of fossil fuel development. Methane gas is known to leak and cause acceleration in green house gasses that result in storms causing billions in damages, yet the Federal regulatory Commission approved this facility but did not access this facility in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The criteria set forth guidelines to rapidly address climate change but Crestwoods facility was not accessed. Methane poses a significant danger in accelerating climate change. Methane,  a carbon based fuel is a  green house gas more potent then carbon dioxide causing climate disruption resulting in damages we all pay for if we live through them.

My training in accessing risks to safety reveals Crestwood Midstream's facility is an unacceptable risk to not only the region but to national security. It's dangers subject innocent people to loss of life with out their knowledge. Crestwood is denying them the right to know their lives are being placed at such risk so they may choose not to accept that risk.

Further, Crestwood operates without security; only a single fence along the frontage of the facility is protecting facility and is a significant security failure. All 3 gates are open and un manned inviting a potential terrorist strike and if successful may easily level the entire town killing thousands instantly.

Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer are not addressing threats so residents remain at the mercy of a corporation that operates with reckless disregard for life while risking the quality of our water supply for which all economies depend on. Crestwood Midstream is a limited liability partnership exposing an entire county for foreseen damages displaying blatant gross negligence and it is unconscionable that Gov. Andrew Cuomo encourages this malicious behavior by Crestwood and FERC. Cuomo's DEC has opportunity to decline all permits, He could ban gas storage and order Crestwood to responsibly dismantle and move offshore.

For officials to allow any gas storage facility to force these unconscionable threats to national security and destroy in one incident, the heart of a flourishing agricultural economy, the third largest producer of organic food in the US dependent on clean water is a disgrace. This has lead 63 residents of New York to use the only avenue left available under the US Constitution, the right to peaceful public assembly to state our grievances. It is an honor and a privilege to due my duty in protecting NY from these corporate threats. It is an honor to stand with folks who use their bodies to force Crestwood Midstream to dismantle

If Crestwood is allowed to remain some people will leave to avoid the dangers of  exposing their families to methane leakages posing a health threat,  fracked is radioactive posing risk of lung cancer. Toxic fumes and unabated noise at unacceptable levels from compressors Cretswood is building now will drive tourism and farming away and invites companies like Monsanto and Dow Chemical that sue methane to make hazardous products. They are known to convince officials that a few dangerous jobs are worth the risk to water, life and national security. A version of Congressman Tom Reeds "progress" will be framed as good reason to support eminent domain for pipelines that transport the gas to Canada.

Ordinary New Yorkers forced to risk our very lives just so the already rich can profit from our lack of political protection. Seneca Lake Defenders are  21st century Paul Reveres, declaring with their bodies, "Crestwood is here, Monsanto is coming! It is time to join the might of the people!"

Joanne Cipolla-Dennis
Dryden, NY

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