Presentation at the 5th Massachusetts Sustainable Communities and 4th Sustainable Campuses Conference

1. Gas Leaks: Massachusetts Can “Fix it First!”
Boston Climate Action Network
Clean Water Action
March 2015
with help from
Dr. Steven Wofsy, Harvard University
Margaret Hendrick, Boston University
Audrey Schulman, HEET

2. The Problem
Natural gas, aka methane, is a greenhouse gas that is
86 times more potent than carbon dioxide.*
And
Boston’s century-old gas pipes are spewing methane.
• 3356 leaks
• 3.9 leaks per mile (BU)
• Leaks don’t cost NGrid
*The international scientific consensus says
methane is 86 times more powerful than
CO2 for the first 20 years in the
atmosphere. IPCC report, September 2013

3. Gas Leaks
• Can explode
Ten months ago: 12 hurt in Dorchester gas leak explosion

4. Gas Leaks
• Can explode
• Harm human health
Methane can aggravate asthma and other
respiratory diseases.

5. HEETma.org
Gas Leaks
• Can explode
• Harm human health
• Kill trees
Boston is losing trees at a time
when we need them most.

6. Gas Leaks:
• Can explode
• Harm human health
• Kill trees
• Are paid for by YOU, not the gas
company
Gas leaks cost Boston area ratepayers $90 million a year.
Harvard study

7. NGrid will spend $2.4 billion over the next 5 years,
but that’s for all its pipelines in Massachusetts.

8. A recent Harvard study found that
Methane levels in the Boston urban area are two to three
times larger than previously estimated.
How serious is that?

9. 0.
25.
50.
75.
100.
125.
Not Counting Gas Leaks
Natural Gas
Electricity
Gas and Diesel
Fuel Oil
Steam
0.
45.
90.
135.
180.
With Gas Leaks
Gas Distribution Leaks
Are Boston’s Biggest Source of
Greenhouse Gas Emissions

10. Meanwhile: Regional Gas Addiction
Regional consumption of natural gas

11. … and Pipeline Expansion
• 5 or more interstate pipeline proposals
• >4.5 billion cubic feet of gas/day. State study
suggested a need for 0.6 - 1.1bcf in coming years.
• Expansions would come online 2015 – 2018
• Proposals to publicly subsidize gas pipelines &
shift the risk from private to public
• Grassroots resistance in NY, NH, MA, CT and RI

12. Algonquin Pipeline Just Approved by FERC
ThepipelinecompanywantstositeitsBostonstationnexttothisactivequarryinWRoxbury

13. Just in the past six weeks…

14. The gas distribution utilities own the pipes.
The interstate companies own Congress.
1. Organize at the neighborhood level to create awareness
around leaks and utility costs, pressure, and a constituency.
2. Organize our city governments to get leak maps, use
them, and lean on utilities to “fix it first.”
3. Get state institutions to speed up leak repairs, limit cost
recovery for gas and oppose new gas tariffs
 Pressure the utilities.
 Challenge the gas narrative.
What’s a community to do?

15. 1. Local level: Find the leaks
• Gas companies must give cities “leak data” via
the state DPU (Dept of Public Utilities)
• Cities are asking the DPU for those data in
March
•We organize Gas
Leak Patrols to find,
measure, and publicize
gas leaks in our
neighborhoods

16. Level 2: Involve city governments
• Coordinate leak and street repairs
o Use leak maps and our Patrols sources to prioritize
street replacement where leaks are biggest
o Make it cheaper for utilities to fix biggest leaks sooner
• Get other cities on the case
o They can also ask DPU for leak maps
o They add state-level pressure on the gas utilities
• Get cities to pressure utilities
• City Council hearings on gas leaks &/o gas
infrastructure
• What more can cities do?

17. Level 3: Increase state involvement
• Legislature: Pass new state bills
• HD1173: Utilities pay for lost gas
• HD1505: Utilities fix level 3 leaks when streets are open
• DPU: Rein in Utilities, Empower Municipalities
• Useful coordination with municipalities re: gas leaks info
• Attorney General:
• Push to limit/end cost recovery, a la HD1173
• Oppose gas expansion tariff
• EEAC: Take up gas leaks as an efficiency issue
• Governor Baker: If you won’t tax us for transit, why tax us
to expand gas pipelines?

18. What we can do at the CITY Level
Contact City Councilors
to pass gas leak resolution
to hold a gas leaks hearing
Call Mayor that you reported a gas leak
What we can do at the
NEIGHBORHOOD Level
Organize Gas Leak Patrols
Find leaks and flag them
Call utilities
Invite City Councilors
Invite press
Invite Sens + Reps
Tweet during event
Take videos
Table at events
Canvass your neighborhood
Report gas leaks on your
own
What we can do at the
STATE level
Contact Legislators to:
Support two gas leaks bills
No new infrastructure
Support renewable energy
Let them know you reported
a gas leak
Contact DPU
Contact Attorney General
Contact EEAC
Contact Governor Baker
National Grid
Direct action!
Replace leaky
pipes faster!
No new
infrastructure!
Invest in
renewable energy!

19. NGrid’s solution: more fracked gas…
NGrid just took a 20% share in Spectra’s proposed $3 billion
Access Northeast pipeline
Our solution: build a fossil-free movement!
1. Mobilize neighbors to replace gas pipes
2. Build the narrative: minimize “natural”
gas
3. We can say NO to new gas supply lines
and YES to repairs, energy efficiency,
demand response, and renewables.

20. Get involved!
• If you don’t have a lot of time:
• Make phone calls to officials (we’ll let you know when!)
• Come to a rally or a Gas Leak Patrol
• If you have more time:
• Come to our Action Team meetings on Thursdays
• Help organize a Gas Leaks Patrol
• Volunteer to table with others
• Wake up the Earth, Saturday, May 2
• Remember to:
• Sign up for our enewsletter (1 – 2 times a month)
• Check our website and calendar http://www.bostoncan.org
• Like us on FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/BostonCAN