Gas explosions could happen here too
By Canton CitizenDear Editor:
On Sunday, residents of Lawrence, North Andover, and Andover were able to return home to no gas but electricity, after having been expelled from their homes for three days following the rash of explosions and fires that rocked the area last week. So what if the workers who ‘turned their gas off’ are as indifferent as those who caused this? It strains credulity to think that the same company (Columbia Gas) who caused this will not cause any further problems. Even if Eversource takes over, the same culture that allowed this carelessness will continue without a top-to-bottom purging. We in Canton, who are familiar with the apathy of the state’s utility oversight group, can only look on in apprehension for our turn in the barrel.
Were you there, as I was, at the public hearing in Stoughton when the stony-faced bureaucrats of the Public Utilities Department listened in ill-contained contempt for we the people to express our disgust at the lying going on when they tried to put gas lines through our back yards here in Canton? Our firefighters are great, but to expect them to handle exploding homes is just a bit much.
Our town is as old as North Andover, so old that 100-year-old gas pipes are still lurking around, waiting to deliver their gift of vaporized homes/people if and when someone decides to replace our antique pipelines. Thanks to Ms. Wexler and the members of the group No Canton Gas Pipeline for their efforts to resist the Access Northeast pipeline project, whose real purpose is not to address our energy needs but rather to carry more fracked gas to Canada in order to sell on the international market. Fortunately, we have been spared in the near term; but never discount the ability of Big Oil to buy enough members of our legislature to get those dangerous gas lines put in, giving up their doubts for “contributions.”
Be aware. The bell that tolled for that young man from Lawrence is tolling for you.
Alice Brown
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=41090
Posted by Canton Citizen
on Sep 21 2018. Filed under From One Citizen to Another, Opinion.
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