August and September 2017 Resilience Events

On the Green in Lebanon, NH

Stop the fracked gas pipeline planned for Lebanon and Hanover, New Hampshire

Music by: * Wool * The Cat and Laura Duo *  and * The David Clark Band *

Speakers will include:  Rachel Smolker, Rev. Gregory Wilson and NH Representative Lee Oxenham, Olivia Lapierre, Jon Chaffee, Poli Sierra-Long and others.

Sponsored by: Action Together Upper Valley, Upper Valley 350,Upper Valley Young Liberals, Upper Valley Democrats, Upper Valley Affinity Group,

Sierra Club/Upper Valley Group and The Upper Valley Transformational Action Affinity Group

For more information go to:  www.nopipelinehere.org

THE BACKGROUND

Late last year Liberty Utilities, a Lebanon, NH company owned by Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp, applied to the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to expand its gas franchise into Lebanon and Hanover, NH by building a pipeline.  Liberty’s application followed its earlier failed attempt to pipe gas to the two communities. There’s no gas pipeline near the Upper Valley, so the plan involves trucking fracked liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas to a site near a landfill on route 12A in West Lebanon. Gas would be stored there in large above-ground tanks before being run into the proposed pipeline for distribution in Lebanon and Hanover.

Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp, partnering with pipeline giant Kinder Morgan, is interested in developing high volume pipelines carrying gas from the fracking fields of Pennsylvania to terminals on the coast, where it would be liquefied for export overseas by tanker. The recent problem for Algonquin and Kinder Morgan, is that so far they have not been unable to demonstrate enough demand for the gas to win project approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Algonquin and Kinder Morgan failed to sign contracts for enough of the gas they planned to move through their huge  Northeast Energy Direct pipeline and that project was suspended last year. But make no mistake, as Liberty’s effort to gain a foothold in the Upper Valley indicates all too clearly, Kinder Morgan and Algonquin have not given up. There’s no doubt that Liberty’s parent company is seeking to build demand — or at least the appearance of demand – within New England to justify their huge gas export project. For more on the Liberty/Algonquin/Kinder Morgan grand scheme see:   “Liberty Utilities and the Bigger Picture”.

In written testimony to the PUC two New Hampshire government bodies have described Liberty’s plan as “deficient” and even “unviable.” The Town of Hanover has been granted full party status as an “intervenor” in the PUC review process. West Lebanon resident Jon Chaffee, who opposes the project, has been granted “citizen intervenor” status. Liberty must submit written testimony to rebut the written testimony of the state agencies and John Chafee by August 24. The PUC will convene in Concord, NH on September 7. The gas company will then give oral testimony and be cross examined by the other parties to the case. Representatives of the state agencies, the Hanover Town Manager and Jon Chaffee will also testify and be cross examined. The hearing begins at 10 AM and is open to the public. It is not clear how long it will take after that for the PUC to decide if the Liberty fracked gas pipeline should be permitted.

These days, resilience is a hot topic no matter where you live, but when you live in the a town like Hartford, blessed with three rivers, it takes on a special significance. This will be a week of free programming and community gatherings throughout the Town. Featured events will include panel discussions, resilience workshops, movie showings, two community meals and more! For full schedule click here. For full workshop descriptions and presenter bios, click here.

Two Resilience Week Events at the Center for Transformational Practice:

Building Soil From the Ground Up with Cat Buxton

Wednesday, August 23rd, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, at CTP. Potluck to follow. Learn about building soil through enhancing photosynthesis, capturing water, and other systems for enabling the soil microbiome to flourish and vastly improve nutrient uptake in plants. Learn simple techniques for building up the soil carbon sponge in your lawn, the vegetable and flower beds, and in the orchard. We’ll discuss the basics of techniques like composting, incorporating cover crops and green manures, hugelkultur, mulching, and using plant guilds to support ecosystem services and bank nutrients.

Designing with Natural Patterns: Permaculture for holistic landscape design with Karen Ganey.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017 7PM to 8:30PM at CTP. This workshop will cover the fundamental design considerations used in permaculture as well as how to work with your own inherent intuition to open up to the land, plant and herbal allies to create your own sanctuary garden.

Deep Change 2017, the fifth annual gathering of the Our Children, Climate, Faith Symposium, is an experimental two-day conference on being, story change and a heart-centered response to the ecological crises of our times. Teacher, Jeannie Zandi and Methodist Minister, Rev. Jon Bliss, will lead participants through an experiential journey from story change to pure being and examine the roles these play in the creation of healthy society. Through workshops, community meals, discussion, performance and prayer, the conference will explore the connections between personal and societal transformation. Children’s program offered and scholarships available.

Co-sponsored by The Center for Transformational Practice; Creative Lives; BALE (Building A Local Economy) and the Universalist Society of Strafford. Register here today.

For more information, go to deep-change.org, email info@deep-change.org or call (802) 478-0050.