Talk about getting it from all sides! Today in New York, we are being hit with a lot of bad news. In addition to unhappy announcements out of Governo

Talk about getting it from all sides!

Today in New York, we are being hit with a lot of bad news. In addition to unhappy announcements out of Governor Cuomo's office, we've gotten word that a crucial piece of construction on the Spectra pipeline will happen this weekend that would render the project effectively complete.

PLEASE HELP!

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We're doing a call-in campaign starting NOW and a rally at the site on Saturday at 1pm

How is it that construction is being finalized this weekend when the court case against it won't even happen until December 18th? Because that's the way FERC (the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) operates. Spectra was given permission to start construction despite the fact that we have a state-level lawsuit pending. Despite the fact that multiple environmental groups called for a rehearing of their decision. Despite the fact that a federal-level lawsuit won't even begin for another 3 weeks. Despite the fact that thousands of citizens have expressed their opposition via comments to FERC, letters to multiple representatives of state, federal and local government. Despite nearly continous actions and protests at the site that have resulted in 8 arrests.

FERC is an agency funded by the industry it is supposed to regulate, and its mandate is to expedite energy projects no matter the degree of public opposition. As one of our favorite rabble rousers has famously said, "What we have here is a democracy problem."

This is our last chance to stop construction.

Starting at 8pm Friday and continuing until 5am Monday, Spectra will begin the "pullback." This is where they pull the pipe back through the hole they've drilled under the river, in one long continuous, uninterruptible operation. Once this is in place, there are only 2 minor connections that need to be made on the New York side before this pipeline becomes operational in November of 2013. The bulk of the work will be completed this weekend and finish by Dec. 15th, when they shut down for winter. (They were granted an extention from Nov. 1st, when they were originally due to leave the site, but were interuppted by Sandy).

Our court hearing happens THREE DAYS AFTER THEY LEAVE THE SITE! This is not democracy.

Here's what we need you to do:

SHOW UP SATURDAY for a rally at the site: 1pm, Gansevoort Street at the Hudson River. (Map)
It won't be that cold and there is only a slight chance of rain, but come prepared; this is rain or shine.

CALL NADLER NOW AND FRIDAY
Congressman Jerrold Nadler represents the West Village and sits on the powerful Subcommittee for Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. Tell him: Congressman Nadler, we are calling on you to intervene to stop the pullback from starting. PLEASE STOP THE SPECTRA PIPELINE. Please use the power of your office to call on FERC to halt construction until the lawsuit against the HRPT (Hudson River Park Trust) has been decided. That suit won't even go to court until Dec. 18th, and probably won't be decided until the new year. How can you allow a pipeline to be built in your district against the wishes of your constituents and all environmentally conscious New Yorkers when the case against it has not yet been heard? We want you to know, loud and clear, that we do not support ANY new gas pipelines in New York City or New York State. We oppose the Spectra pipeline, the Rockaway pipeline, and the Constitution pipeline. We oppose all pipelines that will transport and deliver marcellus shale or any fracked gas. Please do not allow this undemocratic system to overrule what citizens have called for!

CALL. This is not a time for email. CALL!

NYC office: (212) 367-7350

Brooklyn office: (718) 373-3198

DC office: (202) 225-5635

Pipelines mean fracking.

Pipelines means lost emissions and air pollution. Pipelines mean export. Pipelines put lives at risk. This situation with Spectra will be repeated over and over again with every coming pipeline. We must understand that this is a long fight for democracy, not just to defeat any particular pipeline. We must keep fighting--this is one battle, not the war. Thank you for what you're doing.

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