Hundreds Gather in West Roxbury to Protest Pipeline Project

Hundreds of residents, including children and local government officials, gathered in West Roxbury on Sunday to protest the impending construction of a natural gas pipeline.

Spectra Energy’s plan to build a 37-mile extension of the Algonquin Gas Transmission pipeline was recently approved to run through West Roxbury. The pipeline is slated to be built beneath Centre, Grove and Washington Streets.

Construction on the Dedham and Norwood sections of the pipeline began over the summer.

West Roxbury residents are afraid a gas leak could leave the community in great danger. Many are also concerned that construction is planned outside of an active blasting quarry on Grove Street.

“I’m not willing to play pipeline roulette. Not with three schools, and a nursing home nearby,” Anne Modena told The Boston Globe.

Over the summer, Mayor Marty Walsh moved to tie up the pipeline builder in court, but Boston lost an eminent domain lawsuit after a federal judge ruled in favor of the construction.

State representative Edward Coppinger attended the rally and voiced his opposition to the project.

“We’re fed up. And the problem is nobody knows what the risk is here. It could be bad,” Coppinger told the newspaper.

Some protesters carried a giant inflatable pipeline, which read “Save Our Climate.” Hundreds of others signed a petition stating they would prevent Spectra from building by protesting at the construction site.

Photo/Video Credit: Climate Social