From the frontlines to the White House
"We have everything to lose and no time to wait." MVP fighters are joining with frontline fossil fuels fights across the nation and globe this week to demand that Biden follows his campaign promises on climate, and stands with frontline communities and future generations. Biden must stop approving fossil fuel projects and declare a climate emergency. There's one more day of People vs. Fossil Fuels today October 15th if you want to join!
For all of the people along the MVP route whose lives have been violated, for all the waters that have been harmed, for all the lands that have been clear cut and gouged open, for all those fighting this project and standing up for what is right, for all those thinking of the future and what they will leave behind, we are here for you, and you are with us as we bring these messages to the Biden administration.
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Watch our People vs. Fossil Fuels hype video!
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Here are this week's demands for the Biden Administration:
Demand #1: President Biden must stop approving fossil fuel projects and speed the end of the fossil fuel era.
- Stopping all fossil fuel infrastructure project approvals.
- Following through on his promise to ban federal fossil fuel leasing and drilling
- Stopping fossil fuel exports
Demand #2: President Biden must declare a national climate emergency and launch a just, renewable energy revolution.
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He can do this by signing an executive order declaring a climate emergency under the National Emergencies Act, which unlocks unique statutory powers, which enable him to:
(a) Immediately reinstate the crude oil export ban.
(b) Direct the Secretary of Defense to redirect a portion of military spending to carry out a rapid construction program of renewable energy projects to meet a significant portion of the nation’s power needs
(c) Invoke the Defense Production Act to provide critical loan guarantees and ensure a comprehensive buildout of just, renewable energy development that creates millions of good union jobs.
Read the demands in full here.
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Photo by Matthew Pickett
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News Featuring People vs. Fossil Fuels Week
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Monday
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Common Dreams - 'Biden, Can You Hear Us Now?' Ask Indigenous Leaders Amid Arrests at Fossil Fuel Protest
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The Washington Post - Indigenous activists come to D.C. with a message for Biden: Declare a national climate emergency
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DeSmog - Indigenous Leaders Among the 136 Arrested at White House Fossil Fuel Protest
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The Guardian - Indigenous protesters urge Biden to stop approving fossil fuel projects
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Free Speech TV - “People vs. Fossil Fuels’’: Winona LaDuke & Mass Protests Call on Biden to Stop Line 3 Pipeline
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Truthout - Indigenous People With Disabilities Are on the Front Lines of the Climate Crisis
Tuesday
- Common Dreams - 155 More Arrested for 'People Vs. Fossil Fuels' Protest at White House
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"Russell Chisholm, coordinator of Mountain Valley Watch and co-chair of Protect Our Water Heritage Rights, was among those who spoke at the rally Tuesday. Pointing to the years of opposition that the MVP has faced, he vowed that 'we will continue to resist that project until it is defeated.'
Chisholm said that opponents will keep up the fight 'not just to protect our water, not just to protect that tiny spring that feeds my home, but to protect our brothers and sisters who live along the Gulf Coast, who live with the climate-induced catastrophes all the way back to Katrina.'
The 303-mile fracked gas pipeline being built across West Virginia and Virginia is set to begin service in the summer of 2022 but still lacks some permits to cross water bodies and wetlands."
Wednesday
- Common Dreams - 90 More Arrested as Victims of Climate Chaos Descend on White House
- MTV News - Indigenous Protesters Demand Biden End Fossil Fuel Projects | Need To Know
Thursday
To learn more, read press releases, see photo galleries, download art, and more, visit People vs. Fossil Fuels' website here. Photos from the week are also available at Survival Media Gallery here. Matthew Pickett was also on scene documenting, some of his photos are below. |
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POWHR Coalition's Russell Chisholm and Maury Johnson speak on Day II: Fossil Fuels are driving the climate crisis. Photo by Matthew Pickett
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Barb Adams holds a NO MVP NO MVP SOUTHGATE sign. Photo by Maury Johnson
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Dancer on Indigenous Peoples' Day in front of the White House. Photo by Matthew Pickett
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Jason Crazy-Bear Campos Keck speaks against the Mountain Valley Pipeline on Indigenous Peoples' Day. Photo by Matthew Pickett
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Casey Camp-Horinek, Environmental Ambassador, Ponca Nation of Oklahoma, speaks on Day II. Photo by Matthew Pickett
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Dancer at The US Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters while more than one million petitions against the Line 3 tar sands oil project are hand-delivered. Photo by Matthew Pickett
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ARTivism Virginia Co-director Joshua Vana stands in opposition to MVP and represents one of its hundreds of water quality violations, in front of the White House. You can sign up for the Violation Vigil project here. Photo by Matthew Pickett
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POWHR Coalition's Grace Tuttle and MVP fighters Bridget Kelley-Dearing and Red Terry at the White House. Photo by Josh Vana.
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NO MVP signs in the march to the White House on Day III: Climate crisis is happening now! Photo by Matthew Pickett
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MVP fighters walk to the White House on Day II: Fossil fuels are driving the climate crisis. Photo by Matthew Pickett.
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Bridget Kelley-Dearing holds a NO MVP sign at the White House on Day II. Photo by Grace Tuttle
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STOP MVP on Indigenous Peoples' Day. Photo by Grace Tuttle
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Water is Alive! Photo by Grace Tuttle
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Kevin Cramer Jr., one of the founders of the Palm Collective, "The Palm Collective (TPC) is a Black-led organization connecting individuals, networks, and grassroots organizations to end systemic racism in DC and beyond while creating powerful communities through Collective Action." Photo by Matthew Pickett
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Tom Elliot and Red Terry at the US Army Corps of Engineers headquarters. Photo by Matthew Pickett
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Upcoming Events + Actions You Can Take Now
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Send a letter to DEQ with Appalachian Voices
The MVP Clean Water Act Section 401 draft permit fails to consider cumulative impacts on waterways, MVP’s history of violations and is missing important baseline data. MVP should not be granted new permission to pollute our water resources.
Send a comment HERE
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Rally for Our Water, Stop MVP
Join Wild Virginia, POWHR, Appalachian Voices and others on October 20th, 2021 at 7:00 PM ET for this special rally event. Our featured speaker is Karenna Gore, the founder and executive director of the Center for Earth Ethics at Union Theological Seminary.
Wild Virginia will host a webinar presenting a series of speakers and providing information about the opportunity for the public to affect the decision by the Virginia State Water Control Board about the future of the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
The MVP battle has become a national focal point in the vital effort to achieve justice and sound policies on water pollution and energy choices. PLEASE JOIN US AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Register HERE!
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MVP 401 Peoples' Hearing
Join us on Monday, October 25th, 2021 at 6:00 PM ET for a virtual Peoples’ Hearing on the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) Clean Water Act Section 401 draft permit. Despite a collaborative request from 39 organizations and over 150 individuals, neither Governor Northam nor DEQ provided the opportunity for a virtual public hearing on the MVP 401 draft permit. We believe that everyone has a right to speak to this proposal in safe and accessible ways, so we created this opportunity for impacted communities and advocates to use their voice. The Peoples’ Hearing will be recorded, summarized and submitted to Virginia DEQ before the close of the MVP 401 comment period on October 27th, 2021.
Register in advance HERE!
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Sign Up for the Violation Vigil Project
“Violation Vigil” is a collaborative artivism campaign to give poignant, visual and aural representation to the hundreds of water violations at the hands of Mountain Valley Pipeline. You and 300 others are needed now to give voice to a single MVP water violation, to receive your Violation Poster, to begin to use this poster and this message to resist the proposed 401 Water Quality Certification & Water Protection Permit, and to come together in Richmond on December 11, 2021 starting at 1 pm for the Violation Vigil final event.
Register to find your place in this project here, event Facebook link here.
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Bookmark POWHR's 401 Landing Page
Talking points are coming soon. The deadline to make your own comment is 11:59 PM ET on October 27th, 2021. Our landing page has all the latest information, hearing recordings, news coverage and other resources you need. Bookmark NOW!
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Photo by Matthew Pickett
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