Norfolk/Wrentham December 2016

Page 8 Local Town Pages www.norfolkwrenthamnews.com December 2016
Pipeline Opposition Gains Traction
By Grace Allen
Norfolk’s Board of Selectmen
has agreed to file for intervenor
status in Spectra Energy’s Access
Northeast pipeline project
slated to go through Norfolk. Intervenor
status will give the town
a formal role and legal options
to act on behalf of residents if
Spectra Energy formally files
with the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) to
move the project forward. Spectra
is likely to file with FERC
soon.
Spectra Energy plans to install
a high-pressure, fracked gas
pipeline through Massachusetts
as part of its Access Northeast
project. The 21-mile pipeline,
called the Q-1 Loop, will go
through nine towns, including
Norfolk. Residents and activists
against the project cite safety
concerns as well as the environmental
impacts in the area.
The Access Northeast project is
part of a bigger effort to expand
pipeline capacity along the East
Coast into Canada.
On September 20, concerned
citizens and climate activists held
an informational meeting at the
town library about the pipeline
project and its potential impact
on the town. Over 80 residents
attended the presentation, which
was followed by a question-andanswer
period. Attendees were
asked to sign a petition asking
the town’s governing board to
file for intervenor status. The
petition was also made available
online at Change.org.
A video of the September
20 th meeting is available at www.
norfolkcable.com.
According to Angela Wilcox,
a direct abutter to the proposed
pipeline in Norfolk, filing for
intervenor status is just the first
hurdle in a long process to fight
the project.
“Our next step is to continue
to educate the community
and ask town officials to take a
position on the pipeline for the
spring town meeting,” said Wilcox.
Norfolk residents fighting
the pipeline will be gathering
signatures to put the issue on
the May town meeting warrant,
added Wilcox.
The group is planning smaller
presentations for community organizations,
neighborhoods, or
anyone interested in learning
more about the pipeline and its
impact on Norfolk.
Residents concerned about
the pipeline project are invited
to attend the Norfolk group’s
next meeting on January 12 at 7
p.m. The group meets at Stony
Brook Wildlife Sanctuary. Contact
Angela Wilcox at 781-241-
2083 for more information, or
visit the group’s Facebook page:
No Norfolk MA Gas Pipeline.
Visit www.NOspectraMA.org
for information about Spectra
Energy’s Access Northeast project.
The group is also looking for
a volunteer to film the meetings,
as well as create and edit short
clips to be used in educating residents
about the pipeline project.
Norfolk Cable TV has agreed
to train anyone interested in the
role, and will also provide the
equipment. Contact Wilcox for
more information.
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