During the campaign stop, Kennedy spoke about the need for increased economic justice, civil rights, and more equitable healthcare, among other issues. He did not mention Sen. Markey during his remarks.
Berkshire County residents have been vehemently and consistently opposed to dumping PCB waste in any of the three locations that GE has proposed – Woods Pond, Rising Pond, and Lenox Dale. EPA’s final permit required GE to transport all PCB waste off-site to a licensed PCB disposal facility.
The Four Freedoms Coalition, in partnership with Greylock Together, Indivisible Pittsfield, the Berkshire Democratic Brigades and others, is making contingency plans for a rapid response protest at Park Square in downtown Pittsfield, Mass.
Following nearly four years of struggle against a powerful company (Kinder Morgan and its subsidiary, Tennessee Gas Pipeline) backed by laws and a Federal commission, it seems that now is an appropriate point to judge performances of the various participants and agencies that could have made more of a difference to avoid this calamity.
"This is obviously fear of a trial. We want our day in court to talk about both the immorality and illegality of what's going on ... we want a trial."
--- Vivienne Simon of the Sugar Shack Alliance
"In the face of ongoing climate change, it is crystal clear that [our] responsibility [to protect the earth] requires us to reject all fossil fuel infrastructure construction, no matter how small or large the project may be."
-- Irvine Sobleman of Northampton, a member of the Sugar Shack Alliance
More than 2,000 people took part in the Four Freedoms rally and march on Saturday, January 7, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, to protest the ascendance of bigotry and hatred in the national political environment. Edgecast producer Ben Hillman shot this film of the event; it is narrated by Jim Frangione.
“I am originally from Mexico, but I am not a rapist or a murderer or a thief. I am basically just a nice person. The American Dream can become the American Nightmare in times of intolerance when immigrants and naturalized citizens are made to feel afraid.”
-- Eleanor Velez, Director of the Berkshire Community College Multicultural Center
If Kinder Morgan had taken a close look at the Commonwealth before launching NED, the company would have seen that Massachusetts has cut energy demand so dramatically that it has little need for more natural gas.
