Gas Leaks in Belmont: A Presentation with Belmont Chapter of Mothers Out Front and Sustainable Belmont
Wednesday, April 27
7 PM
Assembly Room, Belmont Public Library
Did you know that within its 4.6 square miles Belmont has 80 gas leaks, with the oldest dating back to 1996? Of these, only 7 are scheduled to be fixed within the next 12 months. Gas leaks are coordinated with road repairs as much as possible, but still, every year the numbers increase. Here is a link to a map showing Belmont’s gas leaks as of December 2015, when there were 90 leaks.
Why should we be concerned about gas leaks? Public health and climate change. Gas leaks are a threat to health – they exacerbate asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Methane – the gas leaked – is an even more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Who pays for the leaked gas? We do. The costs for lost gas are passed on in billing and the gas company has little financial incentive to fix all but the worst leaks. Learn about efforts to hold gas companies accountable for fixing leaks and what you can do to help.
Free and open to the public.