Save Seneca Lake!
Tax deductible
Please help us with the Seneca Lake Defense Fund. Her waters are being threatened by an out of state company that wants to make our region a hub for the gas industry.
Seneca Lake is the deepest of all Finger Lakes, providing 4.2 Trillion gallons of drinking water for more than 100,000 people. Rich in Native American history, it is also home to the largest agriculturally producing county in New York State, is a world-class tourist destination, and is a highly acclaimed region for amazing vineyards and wineries that produce award winning wines.
Texas based corporation Crestwood purchased over a mile of Seneca Lake shoreline with plans to store liquefied propane, butane, and compressed methane gas in the unlined, depleted salt mines, and industrialize the hillside with flare stacks, compressor stations, a six-track rail siding, truck depot, and large open brine pits. In a region coined New York's Yellowstone by many, the bucolic, serene nature of the region is what draws people from all over the world- both investors and visitors alike- to relax and develop sustainable jobs. The noise, lights, truck traffic, and unsightly industrialization alone would destroy the tourist-related businesses that local people have spent generations building, and would devastate the region's agri-tourism economy which brings hundreds of millions of dollars into the state on an annual basis.
Of further concern is the geologically unsuitable nature of the region and the faults that run right through the caverns slated for gas storage. 12 municipalities in the region have officially expressed opposition to Crestwood's proposal, including the two largest municipalities on each end of this 38-mile long lake. Over 230 regional businesses have signed on to a coalition against this kind of development. Thousands of residents in the region, along with health care professionals, have said that this is a bad idea for the region want this project rejected due to negative health, safety, and economic reasons. One Quantitative Risk Assessment indicates that there is over a 40% chance of a catastrophic accident resulting in loss of life, injury, and property damage within a 25 year period should this project go through.
The State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has full permitting approval over the propane and butane portion of the project, and has not yet granted permits. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has already approved the permit for compressed methane storage expansion, and even though the DEC has yet to issue the underground storage permit for that leg of the project, Crestwood started construction of the compressor station on August 18th. This short-sighted plan will not benefit the region, but will only serve to line the pockets of the gas and oil industry, with most of the money going back to Texas. We cannot allow this to happen. Please help us protect and preserve the Finger lakes region, not only for those who enjoy it today, but for future generations to come.
The DEC is holding an Issues Conference on the LPG part of Crestwood's proposal, which may lead to a full adjudicatory hearing requiring testimony from several experts, and will cost $90,000. There is no guarantee that the law judge would deny the permit for LPG even after that lengthy process. We would then need to file an Article 78 lawsuit, which can cost another $90,000. While all of this is good news, since at least the LPG project seems to be on hold, the bad news is that construction for the natural gas storage expansion started August 18th. We need the region's support if we are to stop these projects. Any and all donations are greatly appreciated to help support this fight. All funds donated to Gas Free Seneca will be used to hire the expert witnesses needed by Earth Justice to prove our case that Texas-based Crestwood is not welcome on the shores of our beautiful Seneca Lake.
Please help us with the Seneca Lake Defense Fund. Every little bit helps. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
For more in depth information, please go to:http://gasfreeseneca.com
Seneca Lake is the deepest of all Finger Lakes, providing 4.2 Trillion gallons of drinking water for more than 100,000 people. Rich in Native American history, it is also home to the largest agriculturally producing county in New York State, is a world-class tourist destination, and is a highly acclaimed region for amazing vineyards and wineries that produce award winning wines.
Texas based corporation Crestwood purchased over a mile of Seneca Lake shoreline with plans to store liquefied propane, butane, and compressed methane gas in the unlined, depleted salt mines, and industrialize the hillside with flare stacks, compressor stations, a six-track rail siding, truck depot, and large open brine pits. In a region coined New York's Yellowstone by many, the bucolic, serene nature of the region is what draws people from all over the world- both investors and visitors alike- to relax and develop sustainable jobs. The noise, lights, truck traffic, and unsightly industrialization alone would destroy the tourist-related businesses that local people have spent generations building, and would devastate the region's agri-tourism economy which brings hundreds of millions of dollars into the state on an annual basis.
Of further concern is the geologically unsuitable nature of the region and the faults that run right through the caverns slated for gas storage. 12 municipalities in the region have officially expressed opposition to Crestwood's proposal, including the two largest municipalities on each end of this 38-mile long lake. Over 230 regional businesses have signed on to a coalition against this kind of development. Thousands of residents in the region, along with health care professionals, have said that this is a bad idea for the region want this project rejected due to negative health, safety, and economic reasons. One Quantitative Risk Assessment indicates that there is over a 40% chance of a catastrophic accident resulting in loss of life, injury, and property damage within a 25 year period should this project go through.
The State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has full permitting approval over the propane and butane portion of the project, and has not yet granted permits. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has already approved the permit for compressed methane storage expansion, and even though the DEC has yet to issue the underground storage permit for that leg of the project, Crestwood started construction of the compressor station on August 18th. This short-sighted plan will not benefit the region, but will only serve to line the pockets of the gas and oil industry, with most of the money going back to Texas. We cannot allow this to happen. Please help us protect and preserve the Finger lakes region, not only for those who enjoy it today, but for future generations to come.
The DEC is holding an Issues Conference on the LPG part of Crestwood's proposal, which may lead to a full adjudicatory hearing requiring testimony from several experts, and will cost $90,000. There is no guarantee that the law judge would deny the permit for LPG even after that lengthy process. We would then need to file an Article 78 lawsuit, which can cost another $90,000. While all of this is good news, since at least the LPG project seems to be on hold, the bad news is that construction for the natural gas storage expansion started August 18th. We need the region's support if we are to stop these projects. Any and all donations are greatly appreciated to help support this fight. All funds donated to Gas Free Seneca will be used to hire the expert witnesses needed by Earth Justice to prove our case that Texas-based Crestwood is not welcome on the shores of our beautiful Seneca Lake.
Please help us with the Seneca Lake Defense Fund. Every little bit helps. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
For more in depth information, please go to:http://gasfreeseneca.com
Organizer
Margie Rodgers
Organizer
Watkins Glen, NY
SUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOUNDATION
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
