Diane Wilson and allies begin Hunger Strike Lockdown at US Army Corps Office in Galveston to demand the USACE #StopTheDredging of the Matagorda Ship Channel!!!
Diane and allies are calling on the USACE to cancel plans to dredge the Matagorda Ship Channel and for President Biden to evoke authorization for the planned Matagorda Ship Channel Deepening Project. They are also joining the national chorus of voices calling for an end to oil exports.
Over the past month, 81 organizations sent a letter to @POTUS calling on him to revoke authorization for the project, 500+ individuals have signed a petition to Biden, 35 kayaktivists rallied for a flotilla in Lavaca bay, 40+ people across the globe have fasted in solidarity with Diane, and all the local fisherfolk have signed a petition in opposition to the project.
Diane and allies are calling on the USACE to cancel plans to dredge the Matagorda Ship Channel and for President Biden to evoke authorization for the planned Matagorda Ship Channel Deepening Project. They are also joining the national chorus of voices calling for an end to oil exports.
Diane has been dedicated to protecting her community from industrial pollution for decades. Last year she won a historic $50M Clean Water Act settlement against “serial offender” Formosa Plastics and has been working to deploy resources from the settlement to clean up the Bay and revitalize the area’s fisheries. She is currently working with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives to develop a multiracial fishing coop. But Max Midstream’s oil export dredging plan threatens to destroy the fragile ecosystems and sustainable economy Diane is working so hard to restore.
Today’s action comes after over a month of Diane’s hunger strike and silence from the USACE and POTUS. Over the past month, Diane and her supporters have called and emailed the Corps’ Galveston office countless times, asking for a meeting to discuss deep concerns over the planned dredging project. USACE has ignored these requests and has not yet offered to meet with Diane.
Today’s action emphasizes the urgency of Diane’s demand.
“There comes a time when the home needs defending and line needs drawing. Now is that time”
Diane and Ann Wright were later arrested and taken to the Galveston County jail.
You can listen to a recent interview with Diane here.