Day 20
Today, Stop the Pipeline joined organizations from across New York to ask our state government for a health impact assessment on all aspects of fracked-gas infrastructure, including pipelines, before any future permits are issued. The topic below addresses an often-overlooked part of gas infrastructure: pipeline pigging stations.
Today’s Topic: The “Constitution” Pipeline will require two “pigging” stations to regularly remove debris—some of it radioactive—from inside the pipeline. What will happen to this debris? Will it end up in New York’s water?
Suggested Talking Points:
- The fracked gas that the Constitution Pipeline would carry from Pennsylvania’s shale fields through New York has high levels of NORM (naturally occurring radioactive materials), including radon. Over time, radon naturally breaks down into radioactive metals.
- These radioactive materials are carried in the gas and get deposited in transmission pipelines, resulting in what the industry calls “film” and “sludge.”
- Film and sludge are removed using “pigs”—robotic devices that scrape the insides of pipelines.
- One of the Constitution Pipeline’s pigging stations will be in Wright, New York.
- When pipelines are “pigged,” the people most immediately at risk are the workers, who collect and contain the sludge and clean the equipment. They often inhale radioactive dust and come into direct contact with radioactive sludge.
- Short-term effects from exposure to radioactive materials include skin burns. Long-term exposure has been associated with an increased risk of lung cancer and leukemia.
- The radioactive sludge taken from pipelines is often placed in liquid hazardous waste drums. What will happen to the radioactive materials taken from the Constitution Pipeline has not been addressed AT ALL in its FEIS (Final Environmental Impact Statement). This is unacceptable.
- Radioactive materials could end up in New York State waters and affect people’s health for centuries. This pipeline and its infrastructure must be stopped.
Call today, call tomorrow!
Call, call, CALL. Governor Cuomo: 518-474-8390. Press #3 to speak with a representative.
If you are extremely shy or have already called and want to double the impact of your message…cut and paste the topic and bullet points above and email the Governor: gov.cuomo@chamber.state.ny.us.
Last request: SHARE this email with everyone you know. Together, we will stop this pipeline AND the spread of fracked-gas infrastructure in New York State.
Make a Donation to help Stop The Pipeline
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- Call Governor Cuomo right now at 518-474-8390. Press #3 to speak with a representative. If you leave a voice message, be sure to spell your name and include your zip code.
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- Double your impact by sending today’s topic and bullet points to the governor
gov.cuomo@chamber.state.ny.us
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- AND to these decision-makers:
- Attorney General Eric Schneiderman
212-416-8000;
eric.schneiderman@ag.ny.gov
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- DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens:
518-402-8545;
joe.martens@dec.ny.gov
Dr. Howard Zucker, Acting Commissioner of Health:
518-474-2011
dohweb@health.ny.gov
Each weekday, from now until May 11th, Stop the Pipeline will focus on a different reason why the Constitution Pipeline would be harmful to New York’s land, water, air and people.
YOUR phone calls are what helped us win a ban on fracking in New York. YOUR phone calls will help us stop the Constitution Pipeline, too.
A Quick Snapshot
This 30-inch-diameter, 124-mile-long high-pressure pipeline would carry fracked gas from Pennsylvania, through the forests, farms, fields and front yards of New York residents, and on to Canada for export.
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) can stop this Un-Constitutional Pipeline by DENYING the necessary permits.
How can you help?
Use the talking points in this email to tell Governor Cuomo and others why this project should be stopped.
Feel free to elaborate on how the pipeline would adversely affect you, your home, business, family, friends and neighbors.
Call Governor Cuomo right now at 518-474-8390. Press #3 to speak with a representative.
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