Destruction of Ancient Stoneworks

From Fred Martin:
The Kinder Morgan pipeline comapny is trying to build a natural gas pipeline through Otis State Forest in Sandisfield MA, where the four New England Tribal Historation Officers have documented 73 Ceremonial Stone Landscape artifacts on the proposed route of the pipeline.  The Massachusetts Audubon Society spent $5 million to purchase and dedicate this preserve to conservation purposes.  The current route impacts a third of the ancient remains within the forest, which are possibly as old as 2000 BC. 

    The Narraganset Indian Tribe filed for a rehearing (FERC docket  CP14-529, subdocket 002, 5/10/17)  on the Federal law of this issue, the gas line company has filed an answer (5/24/17), and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on 5/24/17 said it will issue a decision.  Consideration of an alternate route may be the result of the legal action.

    The FERC bureaucratic decision is likely to be influenced by the number of comments which are filed about the issue.  The large number of comments has been instrumental in slowing and possibly stopping the construction of the similar Northern Pass powerline project across the length of New Hampshire, in large part by diverting the likely flow of electric power to alternate proposed routes.  . 

    I have filed a comment, and recommend that others who read this message send in their 200  (or 6000) words on the issue.  To file a comment, go to www.ferc.gov;  mouse to "documents and filings" and on the drop-down menu choose "eComment" and follow further directions given.  To read other people's comments go to http://elibrary.ferc.gov , enter the docket number CV14-529, pick your date range, and click submit.  See especially Mr. Cachat's letter of 1/13/17.