Mary Harris Jones, the famous labor organizer, told a group of young miners who’d rented a church for their union meeting:
“Boys, you pray for the dead. You fight like hell for the living.”
Then Mother Jones snatched from the priest’s lap the hat, full of money that they’d paid to use the church hall, and led the miners out of the church into the fields.
If there were a contemporary incarnation of Mother Jones, it would be Pat Gozemba.
Breathe Clean North Shore demonstrated early on the evening of Monday, September 13, 2021 against the Peabody peaker plant during a political gathering attended by Governor Charlie Baker at the Brothers Restaurant on Main Street in downtown Peabody. Carrying signs and distributing flyers, demonstrators staked out both the front and rear entrances, and managed to get the Governor to accept a flyer as he rushed past them.
Some people are so self involved that they don’t notice the world around them, except in the ways it touches them.
Some people see a problem, shrug their shoulders and say ‘That is too big! I can’t do anything about it.”
Lynn Nadeau looks at a problem, rubs her hands together, rolls up her sleeves, and says “Let’s get to it, now!”
[Julie Smith-Galvin and Ron Smoller joined with Jerome (Jerry) Halberstadt to appeal the refusal of the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electrical Company (MMWEC) to provide the public records request for "Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) contract(s) for the 2015A power project."
Rebecca S. Murray, the Supervisor of Records in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, ruled that "the Company is ordered to provide Mr. Halberstadt with a response to the request, provided in a manner consistent with this order, the Public Records Law and its Regulations within ten (10) business days."]
Contributed by Lynn Nadeau
I am concerned that the Marblehead Municipal Light Board (MMLP) bought into the Peabody peaker project 2015A, along with 13 other MLPs on the advice of Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC) . But they acted years ago in 2017—before the Next Generation Roadmap (Acts 2021 Chapter 8) was passed—before the IPCC raised the warning on our overuse of fossil fuels—and before a full MEPA Environmental Impact Study was made.
I believe that it is in the public interest to halt project 2015A, a 60MW gas turbine generator. A comprehensive review of the public health, environmental, and climate impacts of a fossil fuel plant should be undertaken. Alternative methods for addressing capacity requirements must be considered and fairly evaluated. Mass Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC) could develop a distributed battery storage system. MMWEC could invite a new, all sources proposal to find a comprehensive solution. In addition, Federal, state, and foundation sources may be tapped to provide support for demonstration and pilot programs to engage the community together with power plants to create a truly comprehensive energy system.
Residential neighborhoods in Peabody and Danvers are close to the proposed gas turbine peaker, marked by an old smokestack
Judith Black was Mistress of Ceremonies for a rally called by the National Green New Deal Alliance to urge Representative Seth Moulton to support the budget reconciliation bill. Members from participating organizations included 350MASS, SAFE, SEIU 32 BJ, League of Women Voters, MARA (Mass Renew alliance) Renew New England Alliance, Breathe Clean North Shore, Sunrise, and many others.
Guest Post by Tracy Valletti
I’m concerned about the health and future of our city and am against the proposed fossil fuel peaker project. We need a commissioner who will lead with a vision aligned with the residents and city departments to maintain and improve our quality of life. The negative health and climate effects of a polluting plant in our city and our world are real. I can no longer stand by as these warnings are ignored. I will advocate for investments in renewable energy sources that keep our communities clean and affordable. I will engage with residents to come together as a community to create a future that is clean, affordable, and accessible to all.
In stark violation of the Climate Law, Acts of 2021, Ch. 8 S. 15, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) on August 12 approved the request of the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC) to borrow $85 million to finance building the project 2015A peaker plant slated to be sited at the Waters River, at the Peabody/Danvers border, with the option to refinance at a later date.
The provisions of the Climate Law should have required a comprehensive health and environmental review with consideration of reliability, equity, and impact on the climate, not just cost, before proceeding.