As young people, we urge CT to stop Enbridge’s newest fracked gas project

In November, it was announced that the fossil fuel company, Enbridge, who owns the fracked “ natural” gas pipeline running from New Jersey to Massachusetts, had released a proposal to significantly expand the pipeline. As young people whose hometowns of Coventry and Mansfield will be directly affected, we’re here to say this project must not move forward .

Named Project Maple , a misleading title considering the danger of the project, the expansion would allow the pipeline to carry significantly more fracked gas through our state, emitting more greenhouse gasses and accelerating climate change. It would also connect to another pipeline carrying fossil fuels all the way to Maine.

This is the third proposed expansion of this pipeline within ten years. The previous two projects were both approved, against the calls from local activists, by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). These agencies have repeatedly shown their willingness to actively harm communities across our state and rob young people of the future we deserve, all while generating massive profits for fossil fuel companies like Enbridge.

But we, as young people in Connecticut, are saying — ENOUGH.

Enbridge is also applying to build a connected gas regulator station in Coventry, located on Hop River Road near the intersection of Bunker Hill Road and Nathan Hale Road. Out of the five census blocks within one mile of the regulation station that Enbridge was required to evaluate, two of them are considered environmental justice communities, totaling a 15% minority population and 6% low-income residents. Overall, Tolland County has a population that is 94% white and 4% low-income.

This station will release methane, a more potent and underestimated greenhouse gas than CO2, to regulate pressure in the pipeline and due to common pipeline leaks. This is bad not only for increasing state emissions, but also burdening vulnerable communities that the pipeline is directly built through with more pollution.

Enbridge is claiming that this infrastructure is ‘routine maintenance’ and not connected to Project Maple. However, this is probably false. A new regulation station would likely need to be built if Enbridge is expanding the size of the existing pipeline. The regulation station would be necessary to regulate pressure at the intersection of differently sized pipelines, which can include releasing methane.

Breaking up large projects into smaller projects minimizes the appearance of overall  impacts and can make permit approvals easier. In a few cases, this process has been ruled ‘impermissible segmentation’ by courts. If FERC accepts Enbridge’s deceptive claim that a new regulator station is routine maintenance, then it allows Enbridge to move forward under a 1987 permit to expedite construction and avoid public participation in the process.

Enbridge is also claiming that this expansion is good for our state. They say it will transport “ clean” gas throughout the region and “secure our energy future.” This is blatant disinformation. Fracked gas is not clean. An extraordinary amount of greenhouse gasses are released, including methane from the fracking process and pipeline leaks , as well as CO2 when the gas is actually burned . And more fossil fuel infrastructure will only harm our current communities and young people’s future, while also moving us further away from our state’s zero carbon by 2040 goal.

Instead, we need to decrease our energy demand through energy efficiency programs and invest in clean energy. It has been clearly shown that our grid can be both reliable and clean , stating otherwise is disinformation propagated by the fossil fuel industry and their lobbyists.

FERC is the organization that supplies permits to Enbridge and continues to prioritize the interests of fossil fuel companies rather than the public. FERC, we call on you to halt this construction by denying any permits that Enbridge is unjustly soliciting. This is also necessary to achieve zero carbon electricity by 2035, a goal set by the Biden Administration .

CT DEEP also has a stake in permitting this expansion. DEEP Commission Katie Dykes, you frequently promote all that your department is doing to support clean energy investments . If you are serious about DEEP’s goals to address climate change , you must deny Enbridge the permits for this project; otherwise, you are actively supporting fossil fuel expansion and harming the future of young people.

Gov. Ned Lamont and state legislators, you must not stand by and allow this project to move forward. This project jeopardizes the health of your constituents, and goes against Connecticut’s commitments to zero carbon by 2040. Sign onto our letter and publicly oppose Project Maple. Young people are 30% of the vote and we stand with those who fight for climate action and our futures.

FERC, CT DEEP, Governor Lamont and state legislators, young people are watching. Our communities, current and future, depend on your actions today .

Sydney Collins of Coventry is a 22-year-old climate activist with Sunrise New Haven. Sena Wazer is a 20 year old climate advocate from Mansfield.