Six months ago, Millennium Pipeline announced its plans to put a compressor station on a property they acquired from the Eldred Preserve. Citizens immediately and passionately spoke up and, shortly thereafter, the towns of Highland, Tusten, Bethel, Lumberland and Mamakating passed resolutions in opposition. This type of facility was already forbidden by local law. Should a private corporation be able to usurp our laws and force a toxin-emitting facility onto our community?

Documented health problems around the Minisink compressor show us that these are not the benign facilities Millennium would lead you to believe. Ignoring health impacts, they dangle promises of tax revenues, but fail to disclose that any gains will be offset by nearby residents seeking downward assessments. They coyly imply that this compressor will bring gas to Sullivan County, but building out that infrastructure is not financially feasible. Millennium continues to evade coming to town to answer questions in an open forum. What are they hiding?

What are our elected officials on the county, state and federal level doing to help? The answer is, outrageously, little.

On the county level, the legislature has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), a federal agency that has the authority to overrule our local laws, to delay the permit until a health study is done. Millennium spokeswoman Michele Hook has stated that they have no intention of delaying the permitting, and that any health study can be completed within the existing application timeline, even though the independent committee has yet to define the parameters of the study.

Three of the five opposing towns are in legislator Scott Samuelson’s district. He negotiated with Millennium to pay for the health study. That sounds fine, until you dig deeper. What exactly did they agree to that gives Ms. Hook the confidence to say there will be no delay? It is not within Samuelson’s purview to negotiate with Millennium, as he is no longer chairman of the legislature. He is elected by us, not them, and his constituents have spoken loudly. We don’t want the compressor. Why isn’t that his position? Who does he really represent?

Unless a comprehensive study is done over an extended period of time (while the permitting is put on hold) and includes full monitoring of emissions—24/7 for a year at a minimum—it is nothing more than a whitewash, a cheap PR stunt meant to give Millennium and their political lackeys cover.

On the state level, the picture is grim. Sen. John Bonacic’s office says he doesn’t speak on matters of federal jurisdiction. Really, even though his constituents are opposed to the project? Whom does he represent? Perhaps his silence is because his son gets fat contracts from Millennium. Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther has said she is opposed to the compressor. Good. Now what, Ms. Gunther? Your concerted effort, public and private, is needed to bring this to Gov. Cuomo’s attention.

On the federal level, Rep. Chris Gibson is publicly calling for a halt to permitting, citing the woefully inadequate regulations on emissions. We are waiting to hear what Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand will do.

It’s all well and good to fault the politicians, but unless they hear from you, most will continue to do nothing. That is what Millennium is counting on. It is said that people get the government they deserve. What kind of government do you deserve? What kind of environment do you want to live in and leave to your children? Once again, you must loudly make your voice heard. Write or call your representatives.

Or, let Millennium Pipeline and their political enablers decide for you.

[George Billard is a founding member of Sullivan County Residents Against Millennium. (NYSCRAM.org).]