Russell Schott, a corporate attorney and a 33-year Pepperell resident, was one of the key figures who organized the Statewide Pipeline Resistance Relay Walk, a month-long rolling rally held in June and July against the 129-mile natural-gas pipeline project proposed by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners. The pipeline would run through many undeveloped lands, including conservation lands, and residential neighborhoods between the western state border to Dracut.