CHAMP, the LAKE CAMPLAIN MONSTER a sad political tale by Cris Ericson
Lake Champlain waters flow north, so if a natural gas pipeline, carrying entirely un-natural fracked gas, is built
underneath Lake Champlain near Ticonderoga, then while they are building it there will be a great deal of upheaval of the lake water and underlying soil, a huge muddy mess, and the mud and debris will flow north to Burlington.
In the news nationwide, yearly, are reports of
natural gas pipelines that leak and explode.
All of the leaks
and explosions
that could occur
in Lake Champlain
will flow north
towards Burlington.
One-third (1/3) of the
people of Vermont draw
their drinking water
from Lake Champlain,
and it will become
polluted if a natural
gas pipeline is built
underneath the Lake.
Champ, the Lake Champlain
Monster, will get sick swimming
in water polluted with oil leaks
that could take many years
to clean up.
If you love Champ,
the Lake Champlain Monster,
then you will oppose
the natural gas pipeline
that carries un-natural
fracked gas.
The fracked gas is derived
from forcing chemicals
deep into the
ground, fracturing
the ground, and leaving
the federally regulated
toxic hazardous chemicals
in the ground,
so that the homes near
where the fracking occurs
will all have polluted
ground water,
hurting people
in Canada where they frack.
Champ,
the Lake Champlain Monster,
has tears running down
his face. 
Please save Champ,
the Lake Champlain Monster,
by protesting the natural gas
pipeline that will carry
un-natural fracked gas.
*********************
The issue is interstate commerce
As a campaign issue, singling out Governor Shumlin is the natural target.
But I think an actual ban on the Champlain pipeline is a matter that should be before the state legislature (if it’s not too late).
Whichever branch of government is responsible, there is a lot of emphasis to target the governor’s office. What does the state legislature say about this? You’ll soon be able to address this with your elected or recently elected state assembly representatives after the Nov 4th election.
The issue is interstate commerce:
(thinkprogress.org) Despite the controversy over Shumlin’s support of the Vermont Gas pipeline and extension, one Vermont state legislator who co-sponsored the 2012 fracking ban says comparing the ban to a pipeline transporting natural gas is like comparing apples to oranges.
“We have a ban on hydraulic fracturing, but we do not have a ban on interstate commerce,” said Representative Jim McCullough, vice chairman of the House Committee on Fish, Wildlife, and Water Resources, whose district houses Vermont Gas’s pipeyard. “There are people who have tied the two together, but it’s not the same issue.”
Full text:
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/10/29/3586077/vermont-gas-pipeline-arrests/
The issues are Drinking Water, Safe Swimming, Healthy Fish!
The political issue is that Lake Champlain is grandfathered in,
or should be considered grandfathered in, as drinking water.
Lake Champlain has always been drinking water, and currently
supplies drinking water to one-third of Vermonters.
People have a right and a need to clean drinking water.
Every time there is a natural gas pipeline leak, or natural gas
pipeline explosion in or close to Lake Champlain,
the drinking water for one-third of Vermont
will be destroyed.
There are no emergency plans in place to
provide alternative drinking water.
Vulnerable citizens who
are low income can not afford to buy bottled drinking water.
http://duboiscountyherald.com/b/explosion-reported-in-holland-at-least-one-injured
October 30, 2014 The Herald
…Holland Volunteer Fire Department was on scene…
a backhoe struck a gas line and caught fire after causing an explosion.
One person was injured in the blast.
…The town’s natural gas provider worked into the night Thursday to restore service…
…Holland Volunteer Fire Department were called to the explosion site…
…the accident involved a private contractor… working for gas provider
Community Natural Gas…a man in a trench who suffered what appeared to be
non-life threatening injuries…
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2014/10/anti-pipeline_strategies_and_f.html
October 30, 2014 …”Your wetlands, your forests, your private lands, your public lands,
your streams, your creeks, your rivers — they will never be the same.
And no matter how many times PennEast says to you, ‘
We will put the land back the way it was before we started’… they are lying.”…
… residents spoke of witnessing the 1994 Durham Woods gas explosion
and fire that resulted from damage to a 36-inch pipe in Edison…
http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/615683/Blue-Racer-Pipeline-Shut-Down-After-Explosion.html?nav=510
October 29, 2014 An 8-inch Blue Racer Midstream natural gas condensate pipeline exploded early Tuesday in Monroe County.
http://www.thenewscenter.tv/home/headlines/Pipeline-Explosion-Explosion-in-Monroe-County-280620252.html
10/29/2014 CAMERON, Ohio (AP) – Officials say no one was injured when a pipeline in southeast Ohio
carrying a toxic substance
produced during natural gas and oil processing caught fire Tuesday.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/fire-still-burning-at-prud-homme-pumping-station-1.2796528
Oct 12, 2014 SaskEnergy has called in an oilfield firefighting company to help put out the blaze
…natural gas fire continues to burn near Prud’Homme, about 70 km northeast of Saskatoon,
…explosion at a TransGas pumping station…. 12 people who were forced from their homes
on Saturday are still not allowed to return….The Crown corporation has also called in
specialized firefighters from the oilfield…You can’t pour water on this and put the fire out…
…You can’t put a natural gas fire out with water…
SaskEnergy spokesman Dave Burdeniuk told CBC News Sunday that the fire that started Saturday burned through the night with flames more than 18 metres high
http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/Arvin-evacuation-order-lifted-county-says-families-can-return-home-281018072.html
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) …evacuation order affecting eight families in Arvin
since March 18, prompted by a gas leak…… confirmatory testing
by Kern County Public Health, it has been determined that the explosive gas is no longer present.
… allow residents to return to their homes…
… one family told Eyewitness News they are not going back until further testing is done
to ensure all toxic gases have been removed from the soil underneath their homes.
…from a busted underground pipeline that was leaking natural gas.
… pipeline belongs to Petro Capital Resources…
Your local state representative’s intentions
Of course, you and I are correct in seeing these environmental issues, which are long-established insofar as our concerns are, “Drinking Water, Safe Swimming, Healthy Fish!” and much more now, and beyond.
In this campaign, however, the pipeline will have to go before the newly constituted state legislature where it will, include interstate commerce in it’s consideration. At the least, the legislature is in the middle of this, one way or the other, even if it’s just an override.
We know how you feel about Peter Shumlin’s support, but do you know, or will you learn what your local state representative’s intentions are?