Stacy Lovelace: report on State Water Control Board meeting day one, and Dominion Energy tactics

Stacy Lovelace for Blue Virginia reports: "Dominion's Thuggish Tricks on Full Display on Day #1 of Atlantic Coast Pipeline Hearing." 12 December 2017. 

Stacy Lovelace's account of yesterday's State Water Control Board meeting, day one of two days of meetings during which the board is considering permits for Dominion Energy's fracked gas Atlantic Coast Pipeline. The most significant details pertain to the behavior of Dominion's private security agents, who seemed to be making an effort to photograph and film anti-pipeline demonstrators, with the possible collusion of the police.

It's not illegal to film or photograph a non-consenting person, provided the subject is in public and it isn't an upskirt shot. However, I think we can take this as a sign of what to expect, from Dominion's hired security and from the police. We know from campaigns like the Standing Rock Sioux's fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline that environmental movements face surveillance, infiltration, and sabotage by police and mercenaries. Don't let it intimidate you, but also don't forget that you will be watched.

Two vital State Water Control Board meetings this week

We've got two important State Water Control Board meetings coming up tomorrow and Tuesday (December 11th and 12th 2017). The Water Control Board will be considering- and attempting to approve- permits for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Last week, they rubber-stamped approvals for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which has not yet had a substantive environmental impact review. Go over to No ACP, Free Nelson, and Appalachian Voices for more information. It's very important that the public show up to oppose this pipeline; come for a day, come for an hour, just come for however long you can.

Both the December 11th and 12th meetings will begin at 9:30am, and be held at the Trinity Family Life Center (3601 Dill Road, Richmond VA).

If the meeting regarding the Mountain Valley Pipeline is any indication, there will be a substantial police presence.

Pipelines and other fossil fuel related infrastructure are dangerous. Not just in terms of leaks and explosions, although those things will definitely happen and definitely devastate the communities and ecosystems around the project, but in terms of the existential threat posed by climate change. Every multi-billion-dollar pipeline like this is the energy industry doubling-down on climate-change-accelerating power sources. Do you think Dominion Power will bother investing in renewables if it's got a pipeline to send natural gas to harbors for export? Of course not; renewables just aren't a substantive part of their plans, not because they're untenable, but because they will be somewhat less profitable during the transition. We can't just sit by while the architects of the climate apocalypse speed up the disaster.

Blow the Whistle on Dominion: Shareholders Meeting Protest

Wednesday, May 10th 2017, from 10:45am-12:45pm, at 5th and Marshall streets outside of the Richmond Convention Center (403 North 3rd Street, Richmond VA), the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, Appalachian Voices, Chesapeake Bay Group Sierra Club, and Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) are holding a demonstration outside Dominion's Annual Shareholders Meeting. 

Dominion Energy is the largest political donor in Virginia, and uses its influence to manipulate state politics and the Department of Environmental Quality. It obtained permission from the state to dump tons of coal ash wastewater into our rivers, and to build extensive natural gas pipelines. It knowingly built its North Anna Nuclear Generating Station on a faultline. Despite the incredible peril of the global climate, it continues to shun renewable power as much as possible in favor of burning fossil fuels.

For more information and to RSVP, see this link.