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Pipeline Opponents Bring Fight To Concord

Sam Evans-Brown
/
NHPR

Opponents of a proposed natural gas pipeline expansion in Southern New Hampshire delivered a petition signed by 1,900 New Hampshire residents to lawmakers in Concord, Wednesday. The petition asks for one thing: more time before pipeline developer Kinder-Morgan can start its permitting process.

"We understand they're on an expedited schedule, but we certainly want more time. 8 months would be fantastic, because that's about how much you need to basically bring people down from the shock levels they're feeling right now," said David Moloney, a member of NH Pipeline Awareness, which advocates against the project.

The group was joined by a handful of lawmakers, including Jim Parison who said he was actually in favor of building the pipeline, but said he was in favor of having more time to consider the proposal so the state doesn't get "snookered."

The group was also scheduled to meet with Governor Hassan, who in last week's inaugural address called for an expansion of natural gas pipelines, while declaring that she would not capitulate to proposals that were wrong for the state.

"We don't really know what the governor thinks at this time," said Moloney.

Kinder-Morgan has proposed the Northeast Energy Direct pipeline in response to spiking natural gas prices during recent winters. It was originally proposed for Northern Massachusetts, but due to push-back in the Bay State it was relocated to Southern New Hampshire, largely along a power line right of way.

Sam Evans-Brown has been working for New Hampshire Public Radio since 2010, when he began as a freelancer. He shifted gears in 2016 and began producing Outside/In, a podcast and radio show about “the natural world and how we use it.” His work has won him several awards, including two regional Edward R. Murrow awards, one national Murrow, and the Overseas Press Club of America's award for best environmental reporting in any medium. He studied Politics and Spanish at Bates College, and before reporting was variously employed as a Spanish teacher, farmer, bicycle mechanic, ski coach, research assistant, a wilderness trip leader and a technical supporter.
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