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Community Corner

Lynnfield Lateral Pipeline Extension- Unhappiness abounds

A number of  Tewksbury and Andover residents have received solicitions seeking permission to enter and conduct a survey to establish a path for a high pressure gas line  called the Lynnfiled Lateral through their back yards directly to Lynnfield.  This proposal is despite the fact that a right of way for such lines exists in the public streets, so obviously the company is trying to take the cheapest way out by planting pipeline in soft soils. The understanding is that such back yard easments will be 20-50 feet wide, through the back yards and and will have the primary goal of delivering  Fracked gas under high pressure From the Appalachians through Dracut, to Canada for liquification then export to Europe where the sale price and profit is very high. During transport there is a side goal of  providing a lateral line from Dracut through Andover and Tewksbury back yards, directly to Lynnfield . This is with no beneift  to the homeowners whose yards are taken up along the way.  The understanding is also that the easement they take will prohibit the planting of trees, privacy screens or other certain  vegetation higher than grass within the 20-50 ft easment along back perimters. It also appears it will also involve the regular  application of toxic herbicides  and pesticides on homeowners' properties to keep access clear by keeping vegitation a bay.( Herbicides are cheaper than manpower to clear)   No Trees, No privacy shrubs, no high shrubs, no stunning,  flowing , flowery garden club inspired gardens.  The question remains open as to how fire departments from either town will ever timely get equipment back behind homes, with their normal fences, trees,and child play swingsets to battle an explosive blaze if a leak occurs.  ( go to Youtube and call up the "Edison explosion" to see what a small leak results in) . In addition to causing detriment to those specific private landowners, this expansion project also appears to be calculated to undermine and defeat the efforts of this states and Towns over the last 5 years to recover from the crash  by creating jobs in the solar and renewable energy  industries.  Waiting for a correction if my above understanding is wrong, but I have asked  the company rep for info and have not yet gotten it back. If you are impacted by this proposal, please see the FB page "Ames Pond Friends and Neighbors Association group page"  where info is being posted, or let me know below how to contact you. Thank you.

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