BY  DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, JUNE 28, 2017) — Something there is that doesn’t love a pipeline. In Berkshire County, that something gets personified in a rag-tag collection of well-meaning but naive environmentalists known as the Sugar Shack Alliance.

The “well-meaning” sobriquet indicates an effort that achieves the opposite of its intention. Sugar Shack’s pesty protests against Kinder Morgan’s $93 million expansion of its Connecticut pipeline through the Berkshires, though it has produced temporary work stoppages, will ultimately fail in spectacular fashion by galvanizing the majority of interests that understand the pragmatic necessity of the project.

And so it came to pass Saturday that the Shackolites showed up in sufficient numbers at the Otis State Forest to bring work on the Tennessee Pipeline to a temporary halt. Among the land- and tree-lubbers hauled off to jail could be found one France’s Crowe, she of the 98-year-old variety. At 98, of course, she’s untouchable, right? We’re all supposed to look on in wonder and little chuckles that a person this old would be arrested in the woods for illegal protesting. You should know what’s coming next.

Not THE PLANET. We cut Crowe no slack.

First, while gumming oatmeal looks impressive when you’re 98, we can top breaking the law in a forest. For instance, we personally know of a 101-year-old woman who fell in Buffalo and cracked her skull. Nothing particularly cool there, unless you consider the site of her tumble  — at a casino. The trip wasn’t her fault, and the gambling den may soon be hearing from the centenarians barristers. Incidentally, Mrs. Kocak left the joint $40 lighter from gambling losses. Now THAT you have to admire. But the old Crowe? She had no more business illegally halting a pipeline expansion that despite the drawbacks stands clearly for the public good and in its interest than did the other Yule Gibbons wannabes.

THE PLANET wonders: Was Crowe’s the chariot ride up the Otis hill by wheelchair bearers resembling Egyptian slaves worth it to her or any others among the lawbreakers? “Yes,” they will answer. The politically “well-meaning” are different than the rest of us. They have more self-importance. They excuse their behavior in a cloak of self righteousness thicker than the grease on an English Channel swimmer.

No matter how much the “well-meaning” dreamers lose themselves in idylls, wind and sun will not solve this country’s growing energy needs. Natural gas, however, can address those needs. This product burns clean. It derives from natural sources, organic if you will, to use one of marketing hot words. The burning of natural gas has the further advantage of being environmentally friendly. Moreover, it’s produced domestically from a huge, untapped, accessible supply. Harvesting more of this product keeps America energy autonomous, creates jobs, and alleviates some of the pressures of demographic and developmental growth.

The intrusion of an existing pipeline through Otis State Forest requires a modest, four-mile extension. The project endured years of federal and state review, receiving the necessary approvals, including a conclusive demonstration of necessity. The review process culminated on April 12 when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted the ultimate approval.

As the Crowe flies, all the miles and wiles of the Sugar Shack, the Pipeline Awareness Network, Sandisfield Taxpayer Opposing the Pipeline, and Berkshire Environmental Action Team will end up leagues short.

Unless you want to pretend the Northeast and the rest of the country will scale back growth, the pipeline will receive support, whether tacit or stated, and it will be built.

Yes, trees die, but so do people.

“A thought will become an action if not replaced by another thought.” — Sir Tiberius Fruitjuice.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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