THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY Columbia Gas of Massachusetts that it plans to replace hundreds of appliances in homes impacted by the September natural gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley coincides with the unveiling of a bill to make sure such a horror never happens again. Executives of the company announced Thursday that they plan to replace […]
Natural gas
Posted inThe Download
Markey, Trahan file pipeline safety bill
The announcement by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts that it plans to replace hundreds of appliances in homes impacted by the September natural gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley coincides with the unveiling of a bill to make sure such a horror never happens again. Executives of the company announced Thursday that they plan to replace […]
Posted inOpinion
Gas hookup moratoriums are not good for any of us
IN A RECENT COMMONWEALTH MAGAZINE op-ed, Kathryn Eiseman argued that moratoriums on gas hookup are a good thing. This demonstrated how short-sighted the opposition to natural gas supply expansion is in Massachusetts. It also fails to fully take into account the significant economic hardship to both the citizens and small businesses of our state — who will now be cut off from the most viable […]
Posted inOpinion
More pipelines aren’t the answer
NEW ENGLAND IS in the clutches of a frigid winter. This is putting demands on our energy resources and driving up electricity prices during the few hours of the day when consumer electricity use is highest. Concerns over these temporary price spikes are warranted, particularly given their impacts on our most vulnerable. But year after […]
Posted inOpinion
Time to revisit the need for more gas pipelines
NEW ENGLAND’S GOVERNORS, who for years called for increasing the delivery capacity of natural gas into the region, have largely gone silent. Today, the region is seeing the consequences with Bloomberg reporting December 27 that “spot prices more than tripled … and turned the region into the world’s priciest market.” Natural gas prices last week […]
Posted inEnvironment, Transportation
Kinder Morgan’s pipe dream is economic nightmare
THE JANUARY 22 opinion piece (“CLF’s contradictory philosophies”) by Anthony Buxton, an attorney for the energy company Kinder Morgan, argues that the Conservation Law Foundation’s (CLF) policy positions on MBTA fare hikes and electric consumer-funded natural gas pipelines are somehow contradictory. The problem with Attorney Buxton’s argument is that increasing gas pipeline capacity would neither […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Pipeline needed before it’s too late
SOME GAS OPPONENTS appear confused about the synergistic relationship between natural gas and renewables, as well as the climate benefits New England will realize with adequate natural gas pipeline capacity. Both adequate gas capacity and increased renewables are essential to dramatically reducing New England’s carbon footprint, a conclusion supported by scientific studies. We formed Coalition […]
Posted inEconomy, Environment, Opinion
New England governors should lead region to a sustainable energy future
THIS WEEK THE New England governors will meet in Connecticut to discuss potential solutions to one of our region’s most serious economic challenges: the high cost of electricity and energy. This is not a new threat as the region has always been at the end of the traditional energy pipeline, costing ratepayers top dollar for […]
Posted inEnvironment, The Back Story
Should electric ratepayers pay for gas pipelines?
THERE SOON MAY be a new charge on your electric bill for natural gas pipeline construction. The novel idea first surfaced last summer as the six New England states began exploring ways to bring more natural gas into the region, and now a group of companies pushing a pipeline expansion plan are spelling out in […]
Posted inEconomy, Environment, The Back Story
A warning on natural gas
JUST MINUTES BEFORE Charlie Baker became governor, the Patrick administration released a $250,000 study suggesting winter electricity prices are likely to remain very high for the next four years and additional natural gas pipeline capacity is needed to address the problem. The report by Synapse Energy Economics of Cambridge said the state is likely to […]