Protesters at a climate strike in Concord Friday called on state lawmakers to oppose a natural gas pipeline plan from Liberty Utilities.
The rally was part of another global day of protests, tied to a major United Nations climate change summit taking place in Spain.
Dozens of activists, many of them teenagers, gathered outside the State House to call for more action on climate in New Hampshire.
Then they marched across Concord's Main Street to continue protesting outside an office of Liberty Utilities.
The company’s proposed pipeline would connect Manchester and the Seacoast and could go up for state approval next year. Liberty has said the project is necessary to meet current natural gas demand and serve new customers in the area.
Holderness School senior Kai Parlett told the crowd that's short-sighted.
"We stand united here today because we are scared and we are angry,” she said. “We're angry at companies like Liberty Utilities for stealing our education and stealing our childhood."
Quincy Abramson, an organizer with New Hampshire Youth Movement, says state policymakers should support renewable energy development, not further expansion of fossil fuels.
"We're here because we know that this is unnecessary,” Abramson said. “We need radical change in our infrastructure and energy sources in New Hampshire."
Granite Bridge has support from state legislative leaders on both sides of the aisle.
Protesters called out some officials by name, including state Senate majority leader Dan Feltes, a Concord Democrat who’s running for governor.
They said Feltes and others should oppose Granite Bridge, or risk losing votes in 2020.
