Hey Friends,

This campaign has always been about community. From day one, we have been committed to elevating issues that impact working class communities and communities of color. Only when we empower our most marginalized, vulnerable and exploited people, can we truly build a movement to take on the corruption of establishment politics. 

It is in this spirit that I share with you a critical climate justice fight going on in Southeast Queens, New York's 5th Congressional District.

The Williams Pipeline is a fracked gas pipeline propsed by the Williams Energy Company. The proposed pipeline would run through Pennsylvania, New Jersey, the waters off of Staten Island, Brooklyn and eventually, the Rockaways in Southeast Queens. 

We must stop this pipeline from being built!

Why must we stop the construction of this pipeline??

• The expansion of fossil fuel usage, especially environmentally destructive fracked fuel, adds to the already devastating climate crisis. This pipeline undermines our goals of combating the climate crisis through new and sustainable energy infrastructure.

• In 2019, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation determined that the construction of the pipeline would lead to “significant water quality impacts”. This pipeline would jeopardize clean water to the entire Rockaway Peninsula, a reigon of my district that has already suffered the harsh realities of climate change in the aftermath of Super-Storm Sandy.

• The Williams Energy Company plans to “pay itself back” the $1 Billion construction cost by adding the price of construction to the cost of the gas. This pipeline would increase the cost of heating and electricity for residents in the Rockaways, a community already hit hard by the economic fallout of the Covid-19 crisis.

Based upon false claims of gas shortages, The William Energy Company and National Grid want to build a pipeline that increases NYC’s dependency on fossil fuels, threatens the clean water of our communities and will ensure an increase in the price of heat and electricity in working class communities. All of this burden would fall on the shoulders of the Rockaway peninsula.

The Rockaways are an amazing working class community that is 70% people of color. This is a community that continues to suffer from systematic racism, infrastructure discrimination, climate change and capitalist exploitation. This pipeline is a blatant example of climate injustice. It is that simple. 

Luckily, there is something we can all do to stop this injustice from happening. 

On May 17th the department of environmental conservation must rule on critical construction permits for the Williams Pipeline. Currently National Grid has a proceeding before the Public Service Comission to determine the corporate utilities long-term energy plan.

Local groups, like Saneenergy and Stop the Williams Pipeline, have been working hard to put an end to this egregious act of climate injustice. You can too!! By signing this petition or sending a comment to the Public Service Commission, you can help us prevent this pipeline from being built. 

Help us stop this climate injustice!!

Or…

Click on the image below and help us advocate for Renewable energy!!

Southeast Queens and the Rockaways continue to be devastated by the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. My community is suffering from thousands of lost loved ones and a complete lack of economic stability, compounded by Congressional ineffectiveness. While our campaign continues to distribute supplies to those in need throughout the district, corporations like Williams Energy and National Grid seek to take advantage of working class people while they are focused on survival. This is disgusting. 

Together, we will not let this happen. 

Help us fight back by signing the ‘Stop the williams pipeline petition’ or by sending comment #8 to the Public Service Commission. 

In solidarity,

Shaniyat Chowdhury

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