Last Thursday, after a long delay, FERC finally responded to the request for a rehearing, which was filed in June by multiple enviro groups including Sane Energy Project, and the City of Jersey City. The request was a necessary first step in the process of fighting federal approval of the project. FERC's 53-page response to accusations that they hadn't taken the required "hard look" at multiple impacts––including radon and fracking; and that they have violated constitutional due process by being a rubber-stamping agency funded by the industry it is supposed to regulate––was answered by them saying, basically, "Nah, we're good."

No one is surprised by their response. Just as they almost always approve pipelines, they almost always deny a rehearing. The even slimier thing is, they're allowed to take as long as they want to respond, and the builder can meanwhile begin construction. This cozy arrangement has allowed Spectra to start work on both sides of the Hudson. At the gansevoort Peninsula, they've been racing to do as much damage as possible before the Nov. 1st deadline to close up shop for winter.

While community opposition and activist civil disobedience has substantially slowed them down, we've been awaiting the rehearing decision with baited breath, because now we can move the case into Federal Court. There it is hoped that true due process will take hold.

Meanwhile, on the local level, the case against Spectra and the HRPT (Hudson River Park Trust), led by Sane Energy and 5 other community and enviro groups, is scheduled to be heard in court on November 13th. One of the big points in both cases is the radon issue, which continues to heat up.

Want to help win these fights against the gas industry? Please DONATE to our legal fund.

Dr. Marvin Resnikoff, author of a study on radon levels in Marcellus shale gas, has published an article questioning whether scientific data analyzed by the USGS (United States Geological Survey) was truly unbiased. When Resnikoff inquired why the USGS measurements were so low and at variance with other EPA and USGS studies, the answers he received pointed to a disturbing interplay between the agency and the gas industry. Read the article in full, here.

Almost every time someone learns, for the first time, about the Spectra pipeline, they'll ask, "but WHY would they want to DO such an obviously dangerous thing? The answer has always been obvious to us, and now, in this video of Mad Money's Jim Cramer interviewing Spectra's CEO, watch as they discuss––with the giddy enthusiasm of two high school girls––how much money is to be made. At least Cramer brings up radon, noting that one of his stagehands was slipped a flyer warning of it (he proceeds to read from a text Sane Energy wrote for our ubiquitous pink trifold). Spectra's CEO lies straight faced in denying it, saying, "There's no radon in gas." In fact, there has always been radon in gas, a reality well documented since at least the 1970s.

While Cramer and Spectra and the presidential candidates all merrily race to burn the planet down, what can the rest of us do to divest in fossil fuels? A Sane Energy Project member has written a blog post with one personal solution: Is Radon the Game Changer?

New York Passive House members will present the basics of Passive House design. 7pm at the GROHE showroom, 160 5th Avenue. All details here. $7 donation.

If the Constitution Pipeline is built, it will facilitate fracking in NY State. PLEASE testify at the FERC public hearing, from 7-10pm, at the Foothills Amphitheater, 24 Market Street, Oneonta, NY 13820-2684 (607) 431-2080. A pre-hearing rally will be held outside the amphitheater at 6pm. For more information, see Stop the Pipeline. If you can't make it to the hearing, sign the petition; especially if you own property near the proposed route.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership(TPP), a massive new trade agreement negotiated behind closed doors by 600 transnational corporations has been called a "NAFTA on Steroids" whose total impacts are far-reaching and terrifying. This first panel of the series will focus on TPP's potential impact on fracking. We urge you in the strongest possible terms to attend. The Gallery at the John Haynes Holmes House of The Community Church, 28 East 35th St., between Madison and Park Avenues, Manhattan. Donations appreciated, $0 to $15, according to ability.

The Lower East Side Ecology Center hosts an electronic waste recycling event on the Upper West Side at Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, Amsterdam Avenue between West 96th and West 97th Streets. Responsibly recycle all of your outdated or broken computers, TVs, VCRs, cell phones, answering machines, gadgets. Details of the event and a list of acceptable items are found here.

Spectra Energy is heading home to Texas for the winter months, and we intend to throw them the best "don't-let-the-screen-door- hit-you-on-the-way-out" goodbye party! And if either of our two lawsuits against them are successful, we hope never to see their sorry asses on our shores again!

Join us for a potluck dance party--Bring a dessert or salad to share and enjoy:
Delicious pizza from Two Boots! Beer by Brewery Ommegang! Plus wine and a special fracktini cocktail! Door prizes, big fun, music all night! Featuring: Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Choir! Rude Mechanical Orchestra! DJ Patrick Robbins! Steve and Dave! Tarot reader Dylan Henley!

$5 donation includes food/$10 donation includes food and 2 drinks /$20 donation includes food and 4 drinks. More info about performers on the Facebook Event Page.

At the Alchemical, 137 west 14th street (6th and 7th avenue), Sunday Oct 28th 7pm--midnight.
All proceeds benefit the Spectra lawsuit and legal support for The Spectra Six, who were arrested for blocking construction. Sponsored by Occupy the Pipeline and Sane Energy Project

Next Monday night, in locations across the state, people will be holding candlelight vigils to celebrate water and the struggle against fracking and pipelines. In the West Village, we'll be doing this with a twist: The Reverend Billy will be on hand at the site of the pipeline to "drive out the demon" that is Spectra Energy. Stay tuned for more details soon!

There are a few unclaimed prizes from our LGBT party--will the holders of tickets #487046, #612013, #612028, #487135, #612054, and #487051 please claim your prizes? Just email us at: contact@saneenergyproject.org. Claims presented after October 27th cannot be honored.