Time is of the Essence: Keep Calling and Writing to Kill Newly Requested Wetland and Waterway Protection Variances for Dominion New Market Pipeline

Keep Battling to Kill Dominion New Market Pipeline

Watch this new video to see what Fractivists must accomplish starting Today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU0v5CJmuoY

Check out Dominion's fatally flawed Borger Compressor Station wetland and waterway maps: Request That Governor Cuomo Immediately Revoke Proposed Dominion New Market Pipeline Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan

Greetings:

This was an exceptionally powerful day of hard-hitting, intensely focused citizen activism. I am grateful to everyone who worked so hard to request that FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) DENY all wetland and waterway variances for the proposed Dominion New Market Pipeline and require a fatally flawed Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan be REVOKED.

A newly leaked Dominion communication reveals that we are focusing on precisely the right linchpin issues: Dominion New Market Project Update from Donald Houser, Dominion

FERC

I heard today from dozens of Fractivists who learned that phonebanking is not easy to do well. Since it is an essential tool for effective citizen activism, I encourage everyone to keep refining their technique.

Try calling Ms. Sarah McKinley at 202 502 7313. She is very nice, though a little harried. She is the person I was put in touch with at FERC headquarters.

My FERC request to Kimberly D. Bose was submitted into the official docket for consideration. See receipt below. Ms. McKinley also promised to hand-deliver my letter to the appropriate FERC authorities.

FERC does not wish to talk with you. FERC wants you to submit comments on-line. You can download a PDF of my letter if you wish to submit it with your comments: Please Deny Dominion New Market Variance and Notice to Proceed Request

Our phonebanking has been hard-hitting. Fractivists have gotten through to lofty FERC authorities, including the office of the Acting FERC Chair. BRAVO!!!

Demand to speak to key officials. DO NOT LEAVE A MESSAGE!!! Do Not Accept "No" for an answer. Ask for a call back.

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary of the Commission, 202 - 502 - 8400.

Cheryl A. LaFleur, Acting FERC Chair, 202 - 502 - 8961.

Request that FERC DENY all wetland and waterbody variance requests for Dominion New Market Pipeline. Refer to Docket Nos. CP14-497-000. Also demand that FERC REVOKE New Market's Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan because it has been documented to be fatally flawed. Request that FERC NOT grant a Notice to Proceed given these concerns.

Here are some phonebanking tips. Tell the operator that you wish to speak with a staff person. Say that you are a taxpayer, a business owner, DAR, a vet, an Ivy League prof, a physician, a farmer who helps feed America, someone who lives near the Borger Compressor Station site, etc. Use your credentials. Throw your weight around. Be firm, but respectful. Make good substantive arguments. Always tell the truth.

For example, this was my experience this morning:

During my call, the operator tried to require me to send an email. I said that I wanted to speak with a staff person about a critical substantive matter and asked to be transferred. I succinctly described my Dominion New Market concerns. I stressed that time was of the essence. I was sent to public affairs. I said I did not want to speak with anyone in PR. I asked to be transferred to a substantive staff person. I was finally sent to someone in headquarters who dealt with these matters. She promised to get the appropriate person to call me. I asked when that would happen? She said asap and not later than today. Someone called me within five minutes.

Then I spoke to that person about my request in considerable detail.

Ms. McKinley checked the FERC eLibrary and no variances had been granted so far. I just checked again. So far, so good. Keep pushing hard.

Governor Cuomo

Call Governor Cuomo non-stop at 518 474 8390. The problem is that FERC is deciding the variance requests, not the Governor. Nevertheless, he has an important role to play.

Tell the Governor to require FERC to DENY all wetland and waterbody variance requests for Dominion New Market Pipeline and to make sure that FERC does NOT grant a Notice to Proceed. Tell Governor Cuomo to REVOKE New Market's State Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan because it has been documented to be fatally flawed.

See: Request That Governor Cuomo Immediately Revoke Proposed Dominion New Market Pipeline Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan

The Governor's switchboard operators have reported for weeks that they are getting "DELUGED WITH CALLS" about Dominion New Market. DO NOT LEAVE A MESSAGE. Speak to an operator and drive your points home. Promise to hold Governor Cuomo accountable.

3. Use our new personalized form letter to require Governor Cuomo to rescind his authorization for Dominion New Market Pipeline and adopt a statewide moratorium on all fossil fuel infrastructure project approvals. Fill in the blanks. Toxics Targeting forwards each and every one of your letters. More than 550 personalized letters have been sent.
Many thanks to Emily Adams at Tompkins Progressives for sending out an email blast and for her video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU0v5CJmuoY

Every day is an eternity in politics. Keep driving forward.

Onward and upward,

Walter

Acceptance for Filing
---------------------

The FERC Office of the Secretary has accepted the following electronic submission for filing (Acceptance for filing does not constitute approval of any application or self-certifying notice):

-Accession No.: 201702065193
-Docket(s) No.: CP14-497-000
-Filed By: Walter Hang
-Signed By: Walter Hang
-Filing Type: Comment on Filing
-Filing Desc: Comment of Walter L Hang under CP14-497. regarding variance request.
-Submission Date/Time: 2/6/2017 4:03:13 PM
-Filed Date: 2/6/2017 4:03:13 PM

Your submission is now part of the record for the above Docket(s) and available in FERC's eLibrary system at:

http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/file_list.asp?accession_num=20170206-5193