The Boston City Council is holding a hearing on our gas leaks crisis, and BCAN wants you to come! This is a crucial step in the campaign to stop the gas leaks now and stop new regional gas pipelines. 

We need you there!
 
Please:

• Come.
• Spread the word. Forward this message to your friends, neighbors, community organizations...
• Call your city councilors and ask them to attend. You can reach them all at 617-635-3040. The at-large city councilors are Ayanna Pressley, Michelle Wu, Michael Flaherty, and Stephen Murphy -- call them all. You can find your district city councilor at http://www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil/districts.asp

We and our allies* have lined up experts and neighborhood residents for an impassioned hour of testimony on why we need the leaks stopped now. If you have a story about a local gas leak, please plan to testify as well.
 
*Clean Water Action, 350, Greening Rozzie, HEET, Mothers Out Front, and the Sierra Club
 
Gas leaks: the issue is growing
 
Media coverage of the issue has been excellent this past month, starting with aFRONT PAGE Globe article also covered by WBUR, and followed by letters in the Globe here, here, here, and here.  Then BostonCAN’s Becca Tumposky BostonCAN’s highlighted climate justice and gas leaks in a live discussion with Kelly Bates on NECN’s Broadside. Gas leaks are gathering steam!
 
We’ve also seen great articles on new regional gas pipelines and why we don’t need them. Ann Berwick, former commissioner of the Department of Public Utilities, wrote an August 17 Globe op-ed titled “More gas pipelines may not be the energy answer,” and an August 24 article declared “Need for more gas pipelines is disputed.” A new report said “that the real beneficiaries of these major pipeline projects would be companies looking to export the gas to other countries. The extra capacity would be needed only on the coldest days....Meanwhile, electric customers could end up with the tab.”
 
And Peabody officials said “no thanks” when Kinder Morgan offered the city $400,000 in new tax money for putting their pipeline along a greenway and in the Ipswich River.
 
The state legislature will hold a hearing on major energy bills Tuesday, September 29th at the State House in Gardner Auditorium from 1-5 pm. Stay tuned – and spread the word about our gas leaks hearing September 21!