Just across the East River lies our neighboring community of North Brooklyn, where for-profit, private energy utility National Grid is going ahead full steam on constructing a new fracked gas pipeline.
We know that if we want to address the root causes of the climate crisis, save our planet from climate destruction and preserve the future for our people and the planet that we can't continue to build new fossil fuel infrastructure. In November 2019, Sixth Street Community Center joined the No North Brooklyn Pipeline Coalition and has been active on the ground to resist this pipeline.
This why we fight alongside the North Brooklyn Community in Saying NO to the new fracked gas pipeline that is being built through North Brooklyn:
1. National grid is increasing our public dependency on fossil fuels. Building this pipeline is an attempt to derail the goal of zero CO2 by 2040.
2. We are spiraling deeper into our climate crisis. If we are serious about confronting the root causes of this crisis, we must act now to transition away from fossil fuels now and towards a just renewable energy system. For more see no.8 below.
3. Our current for profit corporate utility model that runs as a monopoly further perpetuates inequality and environmental racism. National grid was able to start construction on new fossil fuel infrastructure in black and brown communities in NYC without transparency and real accountability to the communities. Our roads have been blockaded for months, traffic has skyrocketed, businesses are suffering and if this pipeline is completed, we are going to have an influx of gas bomb trucks traveling through our communities, which are already environmental justice communities that are impacted by systematic environmental racism from various other industries like waste.
4. Fracking is banned in New York State and on the City Level, Mayor DeBlasio has declared a ban on all new fossil fuel infrastructure. Cuomo is allowing out of state fracked gas and is therefore still perpetuating harm on people from states like Pennsylvania where our fracked gas is coming from. Even though new fossil fuel infrastructure is now banned in NYC, national grid is steaming ahead with this construction.
5. We don’t need to store more fracked gas locally in communities of North Brooklyn. We technically have enough stored energy to fuel NYC until we can fully transition to renewables. NYC has 21 gas-fired electric generation stations. There is a NY State policy to convert electric generation to 100% renewable by 2040. Rather than building new pipelines in a highly dense city like NYC, we should place focus to begin replacing gas infrastructure with publicly owned electric- installing community solar, and accelerating our shore wind programs. We need renewables now, not 20 years from now.
6. We need community control and public financial control over our public utility system (PUBLIC POWER)! Right now if you live in NYC, you don’t really have any other choice but to become a customer of national grid. So when national grid decides to spend nearly $300 million on new fossil fuel infrastructure that is technically not a necessary upgrade, we the consumers are forced to pay for such projects through rate hikes we experience in our utility bills. New Yorkers shouldn’t be forced to foot the bill for millionaire shareholders of National Grid.
7. All New Yorkers need to use energy everyday. Low income New Yorkers are particularly impacted by our current utility monopoly model, as they will often be faced with blackouts (that are determined by such private companies who will shut off power for poor black and brown communities over white affluent ones) and/or the personal financial decision of having to pay for utilities vs. rent and/or utilities vs. food. Low income New Yorkers face energy instability. Since it is essentially needed for all moments of our day, energy should be a human right. Especially when the sun and wind are technically free.
8. We need to invest in renewable infrastructure in a just way. The majority of our gas is being used as fuel for gas-fired electric generation plants, all of which should be replaced by off-shore wind and roof top solar as part of the state's zero carbon goals. Let's foster our free, renewable natural resources instead of depleting our natural resources in a harmful toxic way that also hurts our low-income communities of color.
9. Our State and City government continues to put the interests of greedy corporations ahead of the interest and health of the people and communities. Our public servants have forgotten what it means to actually serve the public.
10. The Public Service Commission (PSC) holds the authority to approve National Grid construction and approve rate hikes for customers. The PSC is appointed by Gov. Cuomo and are not public servants that are voted in. Therefore, any decisions made by the PSC about our public utilities are not democratic and are generally not reflective of the people's best interests.
*For questions on our points please contact our Program Director Jen Chantrtanapichate. [email protected]
CALL TO ACTION:
CALL GOVERNOR CUOMO: 877-235-6537
Press 2: Tell them you oppose the NBK National Grid Pipeline and that we don’t want Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) trucks in NYC.
For more information visit our friends at Sane Energy who have been hosting various information sessions and who have been active leaders in organizing around this fossil fuel fight. There is a way to leave a comment for the Public Service Commission via their website!
We know that if we want to address the root causes of the climate crisis, save our planet from climate destruction and preserve the future for our people and the planet that we can't continue to build new fossil fuel infrastructure. In November 2019, Sixth Street Community Center joined the No North Brooklyn Pipeline Coalition and has been active on the ground to resist this pipeline.
This why we fight alongside the North Brooklyn Community in Saying NO to the new fracked gas pipeline that is being built through North Brooklyn:
1. National grid is increasing our public dependency on fossil fuels. Building this pipeline is an attempt to derail the goal of zero CO2 by 2040.
2. We are spiraling deeper into our climate crisis. If we are serious about confronting the root causes of this crisis, we must act now to transition away from fossil fuels now and towards a just renewable energy system. For more see no.8 below.
3. Our current for profit corporate utility model that runs as a monopoly further perpetuates inequality and environmental racism. National grid was able to start construction on new fossil fuel infrastructure in black and brown communities in NYC without transparency and real accountability to the communities. Our roads have been blockaded for months, traffic has skyrocketed, businesses are suffering and if this pipeline is completed, we are going to have an influx of gas bomb trucks traveling through our communities, which are already environmental justice communities that are impacted by systematic environmental racism from various other industries like waste.
4. Fracking is banned in New York State and on the City Level, Mayor DeBlasio has declared a ban on all new fossil fuel infrastructure. Cuomo is allowing out of state fracked gas and is therefore still perpetuating harm on people from states like Pennsylvania where our fracked gas is coming from. Even though new fossil fuel infrastructure is now banned in NYC, national grid is steaming ahead with this construction.
5. We don’t need to store more fracked gas locally in communities of North Brooklyn. We technically have enough stored energy to fuel NYC until we can fully transition to renewables. NYC has 21 gas-fired electric generation stations. There is a NY State policy to convert electric generation to 100% renewable by 2040. Rather than building new pipelines in a highly dense city like NYC, we should place focus to begin replacing gas infrastructure with publicly owned electric- installing community solar, and accelerating our shore wind programs. We need renewables now, not 20 years from now.
6. We need community control and public financial control over our public utility system (PUBLIC POWER)! Right now if you live in NYC, you don’t really have any other choice but to become a customer of national grid. So when national grid decides to spend nearly $300 million on new fossil fuel infrastructure that is technically not a necessary upgrade, we the consumers are forced to pay for such projects through rate hikes we experience in our utility bills. New Yorkers shouldn’t be forced to foot the bill for millionaire shareholders of National Grid.
7. All New Yorkers need to use energy everyday. Low income New Yorkers are particularly impacted by our current utility monopoly model, as they will often be faced with blackouts (that are determined by such private companies who will shut off power for poor black and brown communities over white affluent ones) and/or the personal financial decision of having to pay for utilities vs. rent and/or utilities vs. food. Low income New Yorkers face energy instability. Since it is essentially needed for all moments of our day, energy should be a human right. Especially when the sun and wind are technically free.
8. We need to invest in renewable infrastructure in a just way. The majority of our gas is being used as fuel for gas-fired electric generation plants, all of which should be replaced by off-shore wind and roof top solar as part of the state's zero carbon goals. Let's foster our free, renewable natural resources instead of depleting our natural resources in a harmful toxic way that also hurts our low-income communities of color.
9. Our State and City government continues to put the interests of greedy corporations ahead of the interest and health of the people and communities. Our public servants have forgotten what it means to actually serve the public.
10. The Public Service Commission (PSC) holds the authority to approve National Grid construction and approve rate hikes for customers. The PSC is appointed by Gov. Cuomo and are not public servants that are voted in. Therefore, any decisions made by the PSC about our public utilities are not democratic and are generally not reflective of the people's best interests.
*For questions on our points please contact our Program Director Jen Chantrtanapichate. [email protected]
CALL TO ACTION:
CALL GOVERNOR CUOMO: 877-235-6537
Press 2: Tell them you oppose the NBK National Grid Pipeline and that we don’t want Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) trucks in NYC.
For more information visit our friends at Sane Energy who have been hosting various information sessions and who have been active leaders in organizing around this fossil fuel fight. There is a way to leave a comment for the Public Service Commission via their website!
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