On Monday, Dominion employees got some unexpected exercise on their way to work. Protesters opposing Dominion’s proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline blockaded the access road into Dominion’s Tredegar Campus in downtown Richmond, Virginia. A menagerie of singing protesters, stilt walkers, giant puppets, and banners stood in the path of Dominion employees as they walked, rather than drove the final half mile to their workplace. But just before reaching their campus, a final surprise loomed above: two activists suspended themselves from a pedestrian bridge with a banner reading “Stop Selling Our Futures.”
Activists chose to escalate their protest to non-violent direct action on Monday as Dominion steadfastly continues their plans to construct the 550-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline. With its proposed 42” diameter, the pipeline would have the daily capacity to transport 1.5 billion cubic feet of “fracked” natural gas from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina. This has climate activists up in arms for its potential to increase the rate at which greenhouse gases are released into our atmosphere. Landowners, too, are upset at the prospect of a massive pipeline running through their backyards. Many have refused to let survey crews access their property, which has led Dominion to respond by filing lawsuits against these families.
The initial blockade began at 7am with 40 activists that quickly occupied an intersection leading into Dominion’s campus. An hour later at 8am, another crowd of 40 arrived from the Richmond’s People Climate March. Activists stood their ground for just over three hours before the police began issuing dispersal orders. Ten protesters bravely defied police orders and sat down in the road. 9 of the 10 received summonses for obstructing traffic.
The grassroots battle opposing the Atlantic Coast Pipeline continues to grow in Virginia and Monday’s action underscores the commitment amongst local activists. In the last few months, there’s been a groundswell of escalated action against the rapid expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure across the region, including at Dominion’s Cove Point facility in Lusby, MD.
HOW CAN YOU TAKE ACTION?
We’re demanding Governor McAuliffe withdraw his support of the Atlantic Coast pipeline. We’ve set up a petition to make this happen and 2,500 Virginians that have already voiced their opposition to the pipeline. Please sign the petition to help us reach our goal of 5,000 by April 1st. We need all hands on deck to stop this extreme energy project! If you would like to collect petitions in your community, click here to get in touch and we will help to get you started!
Additional Press:
Activists Block Dominion Office. Richmond Style Weekly. 2/23/15.
Demonstrators create blockade downtown in protest of Atlantic Coast Pipeline. CBS 6. 2/23/15.
Ernie Reed. 1070 WINA Radio. 2/23/15.
Ten People Arrested While Protesting Pipeline That Would Run Through Virginia. Think Progress. 2/25/15.
