Emotions were running high at the AGL “drop –in information session” held at the RW Stone Pavilion in Somers at noon last Saturday.
The drop-in session was seen by AGL as an opportunity to explain to the local residents the effects on the Community and Westernport Bay of their Gas import project involving a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) being moored at Crib Point and a 60km pipeline that would cross agricultural, food growing and residential properties to connect it to the grid in Pakenham.
Approximately 70 people attended the session. After a lot of recent publicity they well aware of the impacts of the gas import project and pipeline. They grilled AGL representatives on the matter for over two hours.
Most people present saw AGL’s project as an opportunistic move to further increase their already massive profits at the expense of the local community and the fragile Westernport Bay environment.
Serious concerns were voiced about the possibility of a natural gas explosion affecting Crib Point and Hastings, like what occurred in towns north of Boston in the US last Friday (14.9.18). Newspaper headlines said ‘It looked like Armageddon’ ‘Towns on fire, dozens of gas explosions, mass evacuations’.
The very vocal audience made it loud and clear that they were not going cop the same situation happening to our community. “SAY NO TO AGL” was chanted by all those present in the Hall which soon turned into “DUMP AGL”, a reference to the action encouraging people signed up with AGL to change energy providers, and to make sure AGL know the reason why.
More drop-in sessions will be held between 7-9 pm at the following locations. You can arrive anytime 7-9 pm, ask questions or just listen, and leave whenever you’re ready.
Tuesday Sept 18 at Hastings Hall, 3 High St Hastings
Friday Sept 21 at Tooradin Public Hall, 11 Tooradin Station Rd
Tuesday Sept 25 at Crib Point Community House, 7 Park St Crib Point
words by Rod Knowles | photo by Alison Hoelzer
