Category Archives: Things You Can Do
Personalized Pipeline Opposition Template for Businesses, Organizations and Individuals
Download and fill in your own personalized pipeline opposition letters.
Guidelines for Outreach Letters & Maps
- Feel free to personalize your letter, but please retain wording on the key information. We make every effort to remain consistent in our language when communicating with the public.
- Once you have personalized and sent your letter, please send a copy to [email protected] by either copying and pasting it into an email or sending as an attachment. This will help us track where the letters have been sent, and lets us know who still needs to be reached.
Use our mapping tool to help businesses, organizations and individuals determine whether they are vulnerable to Duke’s pipeline in the event of a disaster.
How to Personalize Letter Template and Map
- Download a copy of our Letter Template for Businesses, Organizations and Individuals
- Visit https://nopecincy.org/education-information/blast-zone-map/
- Enter street address of business/organization/individual you are contacting:
- When the area map comes up on your screen, click the PrintScreen [PrtScr] button on your keyboard (usually upper right on the function row):
- Paste into the end of your letter by placing the cursor below the last line of the letter, then right click and select “Paste.”
- Your map can be sized to the document by clicking on the image. Corners can be clicked and dragged to enlarge or reduce the map size:
Questions? Feel free to contact Tammy Reasoner at [email protected], and I’ll be happy to walk you through the process!
Not Junk Mail: Watch for Duke’s Settlement Checks
IMPORTANT! If you live in Hamilton County, look for a plain white 4″ X 6″ piece of mail like the one pictured above.
In the upper left-hand corner, in tiny print, the return addressee is “Williams v. Duke Energy.” Don’t throw this envelope away! It contains a settlement check from Duke. The people we have spoken with have received checks for roughly $140, although the amount may vary.
Why is Duke issuing checks to customers?
Duke is sending settlement money to customers as a result of the class action lawsuit — Williams et al vs. Duke Energy Class Action Suit. In that suit, it was alleged that Duke Energy Ohio violated federal racketeering and antitrust laws, as well as state racketeering and common law claims. Duke denies these allegations, and maintains that they did not engage in any wrongdoing. Duke agreed to pay an $81 million settlement. For more details, see http://dukeclassaction.com/.
I received my check. Now what should I do?
Of course, you can cash the check and spend the money in any way you like.
But in light of Duke’s plan to run a high-pressure natural gas pipeline straight through densely-populated areas, please consider allocating your settlement check to NOPE.
Send Duke a Message…
We do not believe a pipeline of this size and scale belongs in any of our densely populated residential areas. If an accident were to occur, the consequences could be devastating. NOPE is working to make sure that does not happen!
Your settlement check would not only support our legal efforts but could also send an important message to Duke: Invest in keeping our families and communities safe.
HERE is how you can assign your settlement money from Duke to support the work of NOPECincy
Send Duke a Message – Settlement Checks Speak Louder than Words
Many Duke Customers will receive legal settlement checks in the coming weeks. If you have received a check, please consider donating these funds to NOPECincy’s pipeline opposition efforts.
For almost a year, we have told Duke that this pipeline does not belong in densely populated residential areas. Citizens like you have communicated concerns through thousands of letters and petitions, phone calls and in-person meetings. Elected officials, local governments, employers, religious leaders and your friends and neighbors have heard you and share your concerns. Unfortunately,
Duke does not seem to be responding to concerns of the people they are supposed to be serving.
Make your concerns and objections LOUDER. Leverage your financial support, in a way that will make Duke take notice. Use Duke’s settlement checks to help support NOPE’s pipeline opposition intervention case.
Our goal is to raise $50,000 for legal fees, expert witnesses and continuing to and advocate for all of our communities and citizens impacted by the pipeline. Thanks to your contributions, we are about halfway to our goal.
According to dukeclassaction.com, the Residential Settlement Fund could be as much as $25 million dollars. All we need is 0.5 percent of those funds to reach our $50,000 goal. Residential customers are expected to receive $40-$400. Several residents we spoke with received $140.87. If 200 people signed over their settlement checks to NOPE’s opposition fund, we could meet our goal. Please be one of them!
What you need to do:
-
Watch for the check in the mail. It may be easy for you to miss, as several people have commented that it looks like junk mail. HERE is what it looks like.
-
Endorse the check by signing the back and adding “pay to the order of NOPE, LLC”. HERE is an example.
-
Mail to: NOPECiny.org, c/o Glenn Rosen, Treasurer, 9228 Bluewing Terrace, Blue Ash, OH 45236 OR If you’d prefer to make a donation via credit card, or to learn more, visit NOPECincy’s GoFundMe page
Our First Win with the Ohio Power Siting Board!
Thanks to the many members of the NOPE Community who wrote letters to the Ohio Power Siting Board, asking them to deny Duke’s request to waive formal notification and the required information meeting. Your voices combined with the petition by NOPE’s legal counsel were effective! Duke’s waiver request was denied. Duke will hold an informational hearing (schedule TBD) similar in nature to the one held on June 15, 2016 at Cooper Creek in Blue Ash. Duke will be required to address the need for the project, the project schedule, the design of the facility and other pertinent data. This gives the community another opportunity to ask questions and have our collective voices heard.
The executive director for the OPSB stated the reason for requiring another informational hearing was that there were substantial changes to the application due to route adjustments in several locations for both the Preferred and Alternate routes that, in part, impact properties not previously impacted by the proposed routes, the decrease in pipe diameter by 33 percent (from 30 inches to 20 inches), and the decrease in pipeline pressure by 33 percent. This decision was upheld by the Administrative Law Judge, who further stated that until an informational meeting is held the time requirement for the OPSB to review Duke’s application is suspended. The time calculation for review will start up from the point it was suspended after the meeting takes place.
What you should do now:
Support NOPE through financial contributions. NOPE has established a GoFundMe account in which to raise funds to continue its fight for all communities. We need your help. You can either do so on-line or mail a check to: NOPEc/o Glenn Rosen, Treasurer 9228 Bluewing Ter, Blue Ash, OH 45236. If you know of any businesses willing to donate please contact them. Donations are NOT tax deductible.
Volunteer to help. We need people to help make a difference. There are many interesting and flexible opportunities to contribute to the success of NOPE! Please sign up now!
NOPE!Cincy Engages Legal Council to Represent Community Interests
Meet Nathan Alley
One of the most rewarding aspects of being involved with NOPE! is the opportunity to meet a diverse group of passionate, bright people who are dedicated to protecting and serving all of our communities. In September 2016, we were introduced to Nathan Alley at a Miami Valley Sierra Club presentation. Nathan has spent years practicing public interest and environmental law. He is part of a cause-based legal firm called Fair Shake. Nathan and his colleagues at Fair Shake represent modest means clients. They have a unique business model focused on empowering communities, defending environmental justice and developing capabilities in other attorneys in environmental stewardship and justice.
Nathan Alley is from Ohio. His commitment to environmental justice and stewardship is evident throughout out his career. Nathan has a B.A. in Journalism and Religious Studies from Indiana University and a J.D. from the New York University School of Law. He has more than a decade of experience working on issues involving oil/gas drilling and fracking, protecting water quality and agricultural lands. Nathan has contributed to numerous law journals, periodicals and trade publications, and he is a regular presenter on topics such as land use, oil and gas development, air and water law, public participation and nonprofit advocacy.
He recently moved back to Greater Cincinnati to defend his own family’s multi-generational farm from suburban development. NOPE! is very fortunate to have Nathan as a passionate advocate for our cause and environmental justice legal expert for our intervention case.
What you should do now:
Support NOPE through financial contributions. NOPE has established a GoFundMe account in which to raise funds to continue its fight for all communities. We need your help. You can either do so on-line or mail a check to: NOPEc/o Glenn Rosen, Treasurer 9228 Bluewing Ter, Blue Ash, OH 45236. If you know of any businesses willing to donate please contact them. Donations are NOT tax deductible.
Volunteer to help. We need people to help make a difference. There are many interesting and flexible opportunities to contribute to the success of NOPE! Please sign up now!
Will Duke Meet September 13th Application Deadline?
Duke continues their plans to pursue a transmission line through densely populated residential areas. Here is what is happening:
September 13th is the due date for Duke’s Formal Application with the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB). It is unclear whether Duke intends to meet that deadline or make minor adjustments to their proposed routes, buying them extra time to file. Perhaps Duke is waiting to see if public outcry over the pipeline has diminished before they decide to file or delay.
One thing that is clear is that there has been no indication that Duke plans to locate the pipeline outside of densely populated residential areas. Despite what they might want you to believe, the pipeline is still a very active project for Duke. Here is what Duke of Ohio CEO Jim Henning and other Duke representatives have been working on these past few weeks:
- Holding private individualized meetings with elected officials from affected municipalities
- Still poking around people’s property on the original routes to survey and take soil samples
- Conducting phone push polls with loaded questions to gauge public opinion on the project
- Being totally evasive when directly asked by elected officials if they are looking at starting over on route placement.
From what we have heard so far, Duke likely will make minor modifications to their design and routing plans. We do not expect it to be relocated to less populated areas. Duke may even offer up a smaller, although still unacceptable, transmission line. (Perhaps this was their plan all along? Make it look like they are being responsive to public outcry?)
Duke would probably like to continue with plans to file their formal application by September 13th. Negative responses from leaders and citizens could influence a delay.
What you can do to help:
- Check out this amazing new letter generator on the NOPE website! You fill in the blanks; it sends up to 15 copies of your letter to key officials on your behalf!
Remember, the more letters we can submit before Duke’s deadline, the better our chance of making a difference! Enter your address, choose which of your elected officials you want to send your message to, create a custom message and hit “send”. - Sign this petition to enact legislation to keep natural gas transmission lines at least 1mile away from Ohio schools.
- Participate in our #NOPEtoDuke Twitter Campaign. Send a tweet every day. Let’s see if we can get our message to more officials and private citizens.
Easy Guide – Reaching Out to Local Businesses
Blue Ash Team Shares Documents and Tips for Business Outreach
Many local businesses across Hamilton County are not aware of the Central Corridor Pipeline and its potential impact on their customers and operations. NOPE! Blue Ash Business Outreach Team members Sue Baldwin, Roxanne Brett, Joanne Gerson, Seth Myers and Wendy Schuler have made the task of engaging with local businesses easier. Here is their handy tip sheet and documents, ready for you to download and edit for your own community. Check it out:
What Works – Sue Baldwin and Wendy Schuler’s Approach to Business Outreach
Business Outreach Letter – Business and Property Owners
Business and Outreach Letter – Business Owner Only
Letter to Ohio Power Siting Board – Work in Blue Ash
Letter to Ohio Power Siting Board – General
Duke Delays Formal Application — Now What?
On June 29th Duke put the brakes on its Central Corridor Pipeline extension proposal, as it tries to find “the best possible route”. While they are not filing a formal application with the Ohio Power Siting Board until the end of summer, we fear our concerns still aren’t being heard.
Media reports suggest that Duke is not considering major route changes to less densely-populated areas. We believe the company will only make minor changes, if any, and is waiting for the furor to die down. Duke is contacting some municipal leaders in an attempt to smooth some ruffled feathers. We are not privy to behind the scenes negotiations taking place, if in fact there are any.
It is essential that we continue keep the pressure on Duke and State/Local leaders who are not committed to keeping this pipeline out of densely populated areas. Unless they choose to employ another delay tactic, Duke must file their formal application by September 15th.
When Duke files their Formal Application, a new phase in the pipeline approval process begins. During the Formal Application Phase, OPSB continues to accept public feedback on the pipeline. This feedback is combined with testimony from public hearings, later in the application process.
Amplify Your Message with the NOPE! Cincy Stakeholder Contact Tool!
Now you can send your message of opposition to Duke Energy’s Central Corridor to many elected officials in just three steps! NOPE! Cincy’s Stakeholder Contact Tool allows you to email Duke Energy, your state, county and city elected officials with a single form.
1 – Go to the Stakeholder Contact Form
To start go to our Contact Key Stakeholders page and scroll down to the “NOPE! Cincy Stakeholder Contact Form”
2 – Enter Your Address
Next, enter your address and click on ‘Find Stakeholders’. Make sure you select the city or township you live in, rather than just entering Cincinnati. This ensures you will contact the correct city officials.
3 – Enter Your Contact Info
Finally, fill out your contact info. We’ll share your message with all the elected officials, so please be personal and compelling. Once you click ‘Contact Stakeholders’, we’ll share your message with every elected official in your area on our list!
It’s that easy! In less than five minutes, you can contact 15+ elected officials to express your opposition to the Pipeline! If you have any questions, notice we’re missing any contact information or have any corrections, leave a comment below or contact us.
Bonus: Full Contact Info
If you want to do even more, you can scroll down and get the contact info for each elected official. For most, we have phone numbers, mailing addresses and even twitter handles. If you click on the ‘Tweet To’ buttons, we’ll even start you off with a message to call on the official to oppose the Pipeline!
Featured Image Credits -“140822” (CC BY 2.0) by tamakisono