UPDATE: At 5 pm, we’ll gather with music for a pre-hearing RALLY at Watkins Glen Harbor Park. The defendants will speak 5:30-6ish pm. Map available here.
Directions to rally: From Rte 414 (“4th St”) in Watkins Glen, turn north on Decatur St; go the end, to edge of Seneca Lake.
After the rally, come to the court hearing for citizens who were arrested for blocking the gates of Inergy, on Seneca Lake. Arrive by 6:45; seating is limited to 47. Hearing dates:
April 17: Melissa Chipman, Michael Dineen & Sandra Steingraber
May 1: Jim Borra, Spike Jones & Margie Rodgers. And Jeremy Alderson of the “Seneca 3” whose action took place in September.
Past hearings:
March 20: KC Alvey, Dennis Fox & Jack Ossont.
April 3: Crow Marley, Katya Andersson & Mahats Miller. They were all fined the max, $375/each. Many thanks to everyone who donated. We raised enough to pay the fines for all 12, although some chose to pay it themselves. Any surplus will go to support future actions.
Why the blockade? Why should we be concerned?
Seneca Lake supplies drinking water for over 100,000 people. This is threatened by an out-of-state corporation that wants to store massive amounts of highly explosive NGLs (Natural Gas Liquids including Liquefied Propane Gas or “LPG”), Butane and Methane (“natural gas”) in the salt caverns under the lake, caverns which have already been deemed unreliable for this purpose. http://www.inergylp.com/inergy-Services/NGLstorage/fingerlakes.asp
Inergy’s stated business goal is to turn Watkins Glen into the NE hub of transportation and storage for NGLs. They plan to massively expand infrastructure support for fracking and fossil fuels at a time when we need to stop dangerous global warming and climate instability. Inergy’s plan would industrialize our landscapes, clog our roads, adversely impact winery-tourism, and pollute our air and water. We say “NO” to Inergy, “NO” to more infrastructure for fossil fuels.
If you feel these citizens stood up for your interests, please show your support. We will post updates here. Thank you!