NEW PALTZ – On the front lawn of the Region 3 headquarters of the New York Department of Conservation, protestors gathered Wednesday at lunchtime to voice their concerns about proposed compression stations in Athens and Dover for the Iroquois pipeline.
“This would double the amount of gas being pushed through the pipeline across the state,” said Eric Wood, of New York Public Research Group (NYPIRG), who helped organize the protest. “It’s an aging pipeline. There is no guarantee the pipeline can hold that much gas after it’s compressed.”
Wood said the expansion is unnecessary because the gas Iroquois says it needs for New York City is being nullified by building codes calling for future development that will be heated by electricity.
“Iroquois is arguing they are expecting an increase in demand, but with the buildings switching to all-electric that can’t be true,” said Eric Wood. “We don’t think it’s necessary. It’s just a last-ditch effort to push as much gas through the state as possible. It’s really about profit.”
