PHOTO/DONATED
VIRGINIA — Big energy continues to embrace fracking, despite repeated words of caution from the world of finance. EQT Dominion Power continues to limp half-heartedly through the formidable rules and regulations with the construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), often ignoring the ones that don’t suit their agenda.
Depending on who you ask, fracking may or may not be a money pit. An Internet search will quickly reveal that natural gas projected production far exceeds it’s own projected demand. To be clear, big energy’s own numbers, generated within the industry, validate the certainty of the upcoming gas supply glut.
In West Virginia and Virginia, however, EQT Dominion Power has apparently dismissed industry facts to pursue when applied to the ongoing construction of their Mountain Valley Pipeline. After 150 years of being in charge in Central Appalachia, big energy is finally facing a day of reckoning.
Meanwhile, near Elliston, Virginia, and Virginia Tech, a handful of activists have held off Dominion Power’s development of their controversial pipeline for over 350 days. After visiting, and getting to know the activists at the Yellow Finch site, I realized the future of our planet is in the hands of these young activists. This gives me much comfort, especially since MVP, LLC, Dominion has recently pursued its agenda more aggressively than ever before.
Emily Satterwhite, Virginia Tech professor of Appalachian Studies, says, “MVP, LLC, knows it will cost them upwards of $3 billion if they walk away from this flawed and dangerous project rather than passing the cost on to consumers, which is why they continue to push ahead at a breakneck pace, despite the fact that they do not have permission to cross rivers or streams, the Appalachian Trail, or the Jefferson National Forest.” For more about Emily, see http://bit.ly/lockpipeline
Chuck Nelson, retired coal miner and Appalachian activist, has witnessed a lifetime of broken promises. “Appalachia feels used! The state, as well as the federal government has ignored the problems that communities all through Appalachia have been going through with not only the decline of coal, but with handling the opioid problem. The pharmaceutical companies, along with the federal FDA, federal government, has let it get out of control. Appalachia has always answered the call, and not once ever asked for anything.” For more about Chuck, see http://bit.ly/chuck-nelson
“Tina Badger, environmental activist, says, “After five years of presenting fact based evidence and telling regulatory agencies and government officials that the Mountain Valley Pipeline could not be built safely and our waters would not be protected I am really tired of saying ‘we told you so!”
For democracy to work, participation is required. We need a vibrancy of purpose that will result in reclaiming our government. This vibrancy is alive and well in our communities. There’s a surge amongst the masses that can’t be denied, and a surge that has the few with the most running scared. And like a trapped animal, they’re not worried about the mess they leave us. It’s time to escort them to the door.
