Dear Editor,
Neighbors & friends; Once again many of our residents in Schoharie County are faced with the fears of another natural gas pipeline proposed by Tennessee Gas. Many of us have become well educated with respect to the process that will take place to convince the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that this pipeline is necessary to benefit the greater good. The question is whose greater good. Certainly not the residents of Schoharie County since, once again, we will not have access to the cheaper energy the pipeline will carry. It’s compounded by the fact that our county is becoming a gateway for pipelines to all destinations including export of the product.
Our county’s residents know all too well the detriment these pipelines create not only causing devaluation of properties and posing potential threats to life and limb. Let us not forget what happened in the Town of Blenheim not long ago. Many of our residents have been dealing with pipeline representatives concerning easements and surveys on the proposed Constitution pipeline earmarked to travel through our county and where resistance from landowners has presented itself, trespass has occurred. Please be reminded trespass carries a penalty. These very same representatives have been offering self-serving contributions to many of our emergency services as well as County Government itself, but to date we have declined to accept any such donations. Are we for sale? What dollar amount compensates all of the problems these pipelines create?
Local leaders who are opposed to these pipelines have been without the support of our representatives at the next levels of government, making our effort to stop the building of these pipelines through our county even more difficult and we have also experienced, in some cases, the lack of concern for each other, which is unfortunate (Divide and Conquer).
There are many issues that will threaten our environment as well as life as we know it. These issues if left unchecked can destroy an entire lifestyle. I believe it is time for all members of the County Board of Supervisors to stand up and say that Schoharie County will not accept any more pipelines. We are not for sale and we have every intention of protecting our communities. Hopefully this will inspire our representatives at the next levels of government to do the same.
The residents of Schoharie County and their leadership are responsible for our county’s future. We must band together to preserve this rural lifestyle and this county’s landscape. There is an answer to cheaper energy for all without jeopardizing our environment, without placing people in harms way in case of compromise from a pipeline and without devaluation of properties; it’s the solar energy movement already being explored by county leadership, a source of energy that can replace fossil fuel dependency. Without question, there will be some of our residents that will disagree with the content of this letter and we are all entitled to our opinions, but let us not forget our obligation to protect the future of Schoharie County.
Gene Milone
Schoharie Town Supervisor
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