ST submitted these remarks to the Tompkins County Legislature on November 6, 2014:
It seems that our County has reached an important juncture in balancing our goals for the future. The issue of the Dryden gas pipeline is perhaps a surprising focal point for the conversation we need to have about how to guide ourselves. But its impact is larger than what we may think.
Those of us working on climate and clean energy want to affirm that we share these values regarding development in Tompkins County. We want to see:
- Access to housing that is affordable over the long haul;
- Opportunities for meaningful work;
- Thriving and connected communities;
- Resilience and self reliance; and
- Responsible and coordinated development that examines how costs and benefits are distributed over time and in our community.
We understand that advocates for the pipeline are hoping to see a large addition of residential housing and business development in northeast Lansing because they want to expand the tax base in Lansing and satisfy the energy needs of residents and businesses.
But we believe that there are problems with the assumptions they are making about using natural gas to meet those energy needs. Read the rest of this entry »
