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Doomsday, end of the world stuff, scare tactics are fun!

As I slog my way through yet another rather verbose letter of Ms. Manzella, I can't stop thinking about all those single moms, working two jobs, living in a two bedroom with electric heat.

Yes, natural gas is a voc that is unstable, although much less unstable than gasoline, which you use everyday. Speaking of unstable, that Weber grill, and other devices just like it on your back deck causes over 7,000 accidents or fires per year. 3,900 fires involve a structure, and about 100 deaths. Many of the injuries are to children for some reason. Charcoal, is much safer. And everyone sells the refilled tanks today, not like 30 years ago when there was only one place in town.

Risk is a relative thing. Driving your car is risky, getting struck by lightning is a risk. Living near a 30" gas transmission line, buried underground is a risk. But it is riskier than driving your car? 314 people die in car accidents in Massachusetts per year, about 36% of them are caused by a DUI.

In your last letter, you told us there were 20,000 leaks on the Algonquin pipeline in Massachusetts. Is that now? Is it over a period of time? 10 years? 20 years? I read it several times, wasn't very clear.

In any case I did some basic math. That works out to 42 leaks per mile, or one every 125 feet. That's not a pipeline, it's termites holding hands. Could it be an exaggeration? Perhaps. But I just don't know how the utilities could stay in business with that much revenue loss.

Speaking of utilities, National Grid has increased their rates 37% over the past 4 years. Have you noticed the 20% increase they are granted on natural gas every winter for the past three years? Why? Higher demand, more supply needed. We do live in an area that demands large amounts of energy both in the winter, and the summer.

Bottom line Ms. Manzella is we need more energy supplies, and natural gas is the one that is most plentiful, cleaner to burn, and safer to transport, because we don't have any here we can use. Have you heard about the oil trains? Imagine one of those going through Rehoboth everyday.

But, I do admire your enthusiasm, misguided as it is. And I always accept opposing viewpoints. I get it. You don't want this in your town, take it somewhere else. To a certain extend I agree, but then I think about all those people who cannot afford their utility bills now. And once you apply the prospect of New England producing it's own energy going forward, the future is pretty grim for many people