Episode 12: Special Edition - "Under Pressure" Documentary Screening Event.

Welcome to the Audible Café podcast!


Today’s show is a Special Edition tied to an event happening in
Pittsfield, Massachusetts on Thursday. Even if you can’t get
to the event, I hope you’ll listen, because today we’re talking
about the dangers and implications of using fracked gas as an
energy source for heating and cooking, and for making
electricity. And about one terrible disaster — not the first,
unfortunately probably not the last  that resulted from
piping fracked gas under extremely high pressure into
neighborhoods and homes.


In this episode, I speak with Rosemary Wessel of No
Fracked Gas in Mass, Logan Malik of BEAT and No
Fracked Gas in Mass, and Dr. Curt Nordgaard, a
pediatrician who researches and presents on the health
impacts of gas. 


On September 13, 2018, excessive pressure in natural
gas lines owned by Columbia Gas of
Massachusetts caused a series of explosions and fires to
occur in as many as 40 homes, with over 80 individual fires, in
the Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts, towns
of Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover. One
person was killed and 30,000 were forced to evacuate their homes.


The film Under Pressure will be shown this
Thursday, November 7th, at Berkshire Community College in
Pittsfield. The event, which includes a discussion with experts
afterwards, is sponsored by the Berkshire Environmental Action
Team (BEAT), 350-Berkshire Node, No Fracked Gas in Mass,
Indivisible Pittsfield, and the Massachusetts Sierra Club.


Under Pressure is a documentary created by the
class of 2019 at Four Rivers Charter Public School, which is
quite an impressive feat on its own. The film explores the
complex truth of fracked gas as an energy source as well as the
struggles of local families and small businesses as they attempt
to rebuild their lives after this unprecedented gas distribution
system disaster.


The discussion following the film will be led by Dr. Curt
Nordgaard, a pediatrician from Newton, Mass who for the
last several years has been investigating and lecturing on the
health impacts of fracked gas infrastructure, and Nathan
Phillips, a professor of Earth and Environment at Boston
University who has been working with HEET and other organizations
to track fracked gas system leaks at Aliso Canyon and in the
greater Boston area.


I had the pleasure of speaking with Rosemary Wessel, Logan Malik,
and Dr. Curt Nordgaard. Unfortunately, because of short notice, I
was unable to connect with Professor Nathan Phillips, but I look
forward to meeting him on Thursday.


So please enjoy this Special Edition of Audible Café!


Thank you, Rosemary Wessel, Logan Malik, and Dr. Curt
Nordgaard, for being so generous with your time. For
those of you in or near the Berkshires, I hope you can make it on
Thursday to view this important film and to take part in the
discussion.


As always, you can learn more and access archives and show notes
with lots of resources at audiblecafe.com, or
visit the FB page - just search for Audible Café, or follow us on
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appreciate your feedback. So if you’d like to get directly in
touch with us, email listenup@audiblecafe.com.


Thanks again, and have a great week!
Judy


 


SHOW RESOURCES


Under Pressure Pittsfield Screening Event Page


Under Deadline: The Making of the 2018-2019 Energy
Documentary (YouTube video)


Rosemary Wessel - Director of No Fracked Gas in
Mass (a program of Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT)


Logan Malik - Advocacy Coordinator for BEAT and
Deputy Director of No Fracked Gas in Mass


Dr. Curtis Nordgaard


Professor Nathan Phillips - Boston University


Proposed Massachusetts Legislation mentioned in this
episode:


S.1958 / H.2836 An Act transitioning Massachusetts to 100 per
cent renewable energy


H.3983, An Act to create a 2050 roadmap to a clean and thriving
commonwealth


H.2812, An Act Clarifying Authority and Responsibilities of the
Department of Public Utilities


H.2810 An Act to Promote Green Infrastructure and Reduce
Carbon Emissions


S.453/H.826 and S.464/H.761 - An Act relative to
Environmental Justice