Pipeline protests dig in

By Charles Reynolds
MILFORD — The day was well below freezing. But that didn't stop Allison Petryk of Vernon, N.J., and Alex Lotorto of Milford, Pa., from hunkering down at the end of Schocopee Road to prevent access by tree clearing crews working for the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company.

Tree clearing began last Friday within 24 hours of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Notice to Proceed.

"If you are a citizen, please stop by and show your support," wrote activist Jolie DeFeis in a blast email Tuesday. "Bring food, water and anything else to keep them comfortable."

In Montague, N.J., on Sunday, several pipeline opposition groups rallied at the home of 87-year-old George Feighner. Directly behind his home, workers from Tennessee Gas — mostly from out of state — had begun cutting trees over the weekend even though the required permits to begin pipeline construction are not yet in place (see related story).

As the group rolled up Sunday, the workers present made a hasty exit to the end of the road on which Feighner's home is located. And later, when approached by a local news crew, quickly drove away.

Jolie DeFeis, of the Save Cummins Hill group, and Faith Zerbe, of the Delaware Riverkeeper's Network, held court with local residents and representatives of other groups, including the North Jersey Pipeline Walkers.

Feighner's property was taken by eminent domain legislation, leaving mere yards between his property and the pipeline's path.

Feighner said Sam Reynolds of the Army Corps of Engineers told him about the cutting three days ago. “They told Tennessee they're preceding at their own risk," he said.

He went on to say the Delaware Basin Commission could also stop them.

“It ain't over til its over,” he said.

Feighner's attorney, David Wallace, explained that the Army Corps is a “cooperating agency” with FERC and has limited ability to stop the work. But, he added, the decision has not been made, “so that's all very good.” He also said that the Delaware River Basin Commission could overrule FERC on its decision to allow the loop.

Two you
At 6:45 a.m. that same morning, Alex Lotorto — co-founder of the Save Cummins Hill website — arrived with Allison Petryk at the access road entrance near the gas company's 300 Line junction. They proceeded to link their arms in a “PVC lockbox” covered with duct tape, through the access road gate, thus blocking anyone who came up to begin tree clearing. The lockbox included a picture of President Obama with red ribbon taped to it — a symbolic message urging the President to “not cut the red tape." In his State of the Union address, Obama promised that his administration would “keep cutting red tape and speeding up new oil and gas permits."

"Milford is my hometown, where I grew up, where I work, where I fish, where I hunt, and the place that I remain,” said the 27-year-old Lotorto in a statement. He said his actions were an attempt to “blockade the construction of the Tennessee Pipeline Loop 323 upgrade today to stop the rapid industrialization of Pike County by natural gas infrastructure.”

He went on to explain that, as a landscaper, his job was to keep and make Pike County a beautiful place. The short-term boost that out-of-state workers would bring to businesses like hotels and bars could not offset the “long term losses to our rural heritage industries as this pipeline scars our land.”

Lotorto hopes his efforts show the trillion dollar Marcellus Shale gas industry that local residents stand in solidarity against their project, which he feels undermines the livelihood of a community based on tourism.

“I hope our nation realizes these are the tragedies we support when we elect dirty energy politicians like Barack Obama," he concluded.

His co-blockader, Allison Petryk, was born and raised in nearby Vernon, N.J., and worked as an Outdoor Environmental Educator at the Pocono Environmental Education Center in the spring and summer of 2008. She said in a separate statement that she “fell in love with Pike County and the bountiful hiking and the beautiful vistas.” Petryk stated she feels that the Marcellus Shale industry cutting across the Delaware River Valley shows a “disrespect to the people here and valuable ecology we are meant to steward.”

Petryk concluded her statement with a plea to local, state and federal politicians. “I encourage our decision makers to abandon the dead end of fossil fuels and seek to innovate our way toward a clean energy future," she said.

A work crew arrived, along with a representative of Michel's Corporation, which the Associated Press reports was fined by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection on Thursday for putting mud from a drilling operation in an unlined waste pit. Lotorto offered literature on the protests to the men. They did not respond. They simply turned around and left.