Tag: pipeline fighters

Third Week of Pipeline Fighting in Appalachia Shuts Down MVP Construction Again!

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photo via Appalachians Against Pipelines.

This morning, a pipeline fighter named Andy climbed an excavator at a Mountain Valley Pipeline work site in Summers County, WV, and locked themself to it, preventing work at the site.

The pipeline fighter was locked to the excavator for multiple hours this morning, but came down on their own due to thunderstorm-related safety concerns. They were not arrested.

They stated, “I stand against the Mountain Valley Pipeline and all forms of exploitation and destruction of this planet. As we speak, MVP is destroying pristine forests, and beautiful and biodiverse bodies of water.

“We are in a place of serious urgency, not a place for any expansion of natural gas infrastructure. The time is now to take direct action against who and what is consciously valuing profits over people and our planet. Electoral tactics have failed us again, with MVP continuing work with revoked permits and ignoring local officials.

“No amount of fines can stop a systemic devaluation of our futures at the hand of a capital giant.

“I protest here today for my brother and sister, who likely won’t see a future as beautiful as I have. Standing in opposition to this antihuman hyper capitalist hegemony is my obligation, and I hope you see that it is yours as well.”

Support Andy and resistance to the Mountain Valley Pipeline: bit.ly/supportmvpresistance

Mountain Valley Pipeline Fighter Locks Down, Stops Work on Construction Site

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Cross-posted from Appalachians Against Pipelines

Update from AAP: “He was locked to equipment on site for nearly 5 hours before being arrested. He has been charged with 3 misdemeanors (trespassing, obstruction, and tampering with equipment) and 1 felony (threat of terrorism); bail has been set at $8,000. This is the first felony charge in our nonviolent direct action campaign against the Mountain Valley Pipeline.”

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This morning, pipeline fighter Holden Dometrius locked himself to welding equipment at a Mountain Valley Pipeline construction site, stopping work.

“All the science suggests that fossil fuels are killing us,” states Holden. “A 42-inch gas pipeline is the complete opposite of an appropriate response to the greatest threat our planet has faced. Climate change is not something we can keep putting off; it needs to be dealt with immediately.”

Yesterday, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) modified the state’s water quality certification standards in such a way that will inevitably allow MVP to construct the pipeline across water bodies using a method that had previously been deemed illegal (and which remains extremely dangerous to impacted waterways and communities). In other words, when the WVDEP was “called out” in 2018 for having approved a pipeline construction plan that violated their own regulations regarding river crossings, their response was to rewrite the rules to allow construction to continue. The notice of this most recent rule bending by regulators to ease pipeline approvals was issued yesterday, April 24.

The banner on site today reads “TO HELL WITH YOUR PERMITS” in reference to this endless, thinly veiled corruption that is embedded in the pipeline approval process.

Holden continues, “We could just let capitalism run its course, sell environmental permits to Mountain Valley Pipeline and let extraction destroy the planet. That doesn’t make any sense to me. If it doesn’t make sense to you either, then make some moves. Get in the way. If everyone steps up, things could change, so here I am.”

SUPPORT HOLDEN & RESISTANCE TO THE MOUNTAIN VALLEY PIPELINE! Show up, and donate: bit.ly/supportmvpresistance

Read more on the WVDEP modified water certification permits (under “Public Notices”).

Virginia: Pipeline Fighter Locks Down to Mountain Valley Pipeline Worksite

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Cross-posted from Appalachians Against Pipelines

Yesterday, a pipeline fighter locked themself to a horizontal drill at a Mountain Valley Pipeline worksite in Pittsylvania County, VA. This site is at the tail end of the 300-plus-mile pipeline route. Work was STOPPED and has been for over an hour.

“We do this for all life on earth, for the ones not yet brave enough to take a stand against the injustices of this world,” stated the anonymous pipeline fighter who took action this morning. “We do this for each other, for every living being on this planet, because we all need clean water and clean air to live.”

Eventually, this  brave pipeline fighter was extracted from their spot, arrested, charged with trespassing, and released!

The action coincided with DAY 150 of the Yellow Finch tree sits outside of Elliston, VA. Two aerial blockades have been preventing tree clearing and protecting some of the last standing trees in the pipeline’s path for 150 days! We are currently awaiting a ruling by a federal judge regarding MVP’s request for an injunction against these tree sitters and their supporters.

DONATE to support resistance to the Mountain Valley Pipeline! bit.ly/supportmvpresistance — or donate enough to get yourself a handmade t-shirt from our fundraiser (limited supplies remaining) bit.ly/shirtrequestAAP