by Gusti Bogok
"Which side are you on? Which side are you on?”
These words from the famous labor rights anthem rang out on November 2 as activists held a rally against the Spectra pipeline in Manhattan’s West Village on the day the pipeline went online.
The rally reached a crescendo when activists put their bodies on the line to block traffic on the busy Westside Highway, adjacent to the Spectra site, holding a long yellow banner across the lanes in both directions and singing, “Which side are you on? Which side are you on?” Thirteen protesters were arrested, including City Councilmember-elect Corey Johnson.
Speakers included State Assemblymembers Linda Rosenthal and Richard Gottfried, and Manhattan Borough President-elect Gail Brewer. Activists and public officials alike spoke passionately about the dangers of the Spectra pipeline and the need to shift from dirty fossil fuels to clean renewable energy sources. All expressed concern about the pipeline, and the health impact of exposure to increased levels of radon in the gas.
Rosenthal has sponsored a bill mandating that gas be tested prior to delivery to customers to insure that radon in the gas is maintained at safe levels. Brewer is also working on a resolution related to a radon bill within the New York City Council.
Another notable speaker was Tim DeChristopher, who gained notoriety when he was convicted for falsely bidding on public land in Colorado to prevent it from being leased for gas drilling. DeChristopher, who spent two years in jail for his act of conscience, is the subject of the documentary film, Bidder 70, and currently attends Harvard Divinity School.
DeChristopher cited the Spectra pipeline as yet another example of a dangerous trend in which political leaders, prominent groups and NGOs express callous disregard for public welfare by permitting the destruction of water bodies and ecosystems, our health, our lives and our future for the sake of profit.
Indeed, the Spectra pipeline is only one of a growing number of proposed or active natural gas infrastructure projects across New York, including gas compressor stations in Minisink, Windsor and Hancock, the Constitution pipeline traversing the Southern Tier counties, the liquefied natural gas storage facility at Seneca Lake, and the Port Ambrose LNG terminal off Long Island. The full-scale gas infrastructure build-out represents a monumental assault on the safety, health and livelihoods of many communities statewide.
Gusti Bogok is co-chair of the Chapter’s natural gas task force. To view a video of the demonstration and speeches, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eagcBOpAm2k.