No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure in Vermont!
States, Cities and communities across the country are calling for a halt to all new fossil fuel infrastructure, as a step toward our moral & ethical obligation to future generations.
This groundswell of organizing is an urgent response to the escalating impacts of climate change: massive disruptions to ecosystems and the economy, droughts, fires and catastrophic weather events, civil war in the global south millions of displaced "climate refugees". This crisis cannot be overstated. Burning fossil fuels – oil, coal and gas - is a leading cause of climate change, and must end.
Vermonters have fiercely opposed Vermont Gas Systems' Addison/Rutland Natural Gas Pipeline for 6 years, as well as the proposed tar sands pipeline flow in the Northeast Kingdom, and oil trains on the shores of Lake Champlain. The Vermont Gas pipeline has been found to have systemic construction safety failures, putting people who live near the pipeline at risk. Further, it carries Natural Gas, which consists primarily of methane, a greenhouse gas that is XX times as potent as CO2. It is not "clean" as industry persistently and incorrectly claims. This pipeline must be shut off, and further construction and state permitting must stop.
Saying NO to construction of new fossil fuel infrastructure would mean NEVER again for these and other dangers to our economy, climate, and communities!
The undersigned demand that all new fossil fuel construction STOP immediately. This includes but is not limited to:
Preventing any further construction of the ANGP pipeline beyond Middlebury and shutting down the recklessly constructed and dangerous Phase 1 of the pipeline to Middlebury.
Ensuring that tar sands will never flow through the Northeast Kingdom, and no other fossil fuels will be transported via pipeline through the state.
Stopping all "crude by-rail" transport in Vermont.
Preventing buildout of liquified natural gas (LNG) distribution in, or through the state.
Instead we support an essential transition to using far less energy, and ensuring priority energy needs are met using clean renewables (excluding biomass, hydroelectricity from "megadams" and nuclear power).
