Plans for three new natural gas pipelines to run through southwest Virginia have sparked much discussion since they were announced. The companies behind them have held open houses to educate communities. Numerous protest groups have been formed to oppose them, and forums held, to examine arguments on both sides. The possibility of the pipelines is not only spurring discussion, it’s also reawakening the spirit of protest movements that have come before.
“No to fracking Pipe line, no to fracking period and no to politicians who support either one!"
A couple of hundred people gathered on a sunny afternoon in Blacksburg to hear speakers and songs opposing construction of new natural gas pipelines in Virginia.
“And speaking of solar, if one of these pipelines leaks you’re going to have a big giant explosion or something like that. If you have a solar spill you have a day like today. Isn’t that right?”
There were seasoned protestors, who’d fought for other causes - and a new generation is stepping up.
“We must stand and say no more fossil fuel infrastructure no more pipelines.”
Michael James-Deramo is with the Virginia Student Environment Coalition.
“We have to imagine a state without fossil fuels and without pipelines because there is no alternative. We have to be the voice that says ‘no more.’”
Among the aims of protest movements is crafting the message attracting news coverage.
“Most of it’s been the opposition so I started looking into it and I’ve gone to a couple of the sessions that they had.
Ken Stiles teaches courses on national security and global conflict at Virginia Tech. He’s worked hard to get his voice heard, writing letters to the editor - one titled, “What’s the Big Deal About the Pipeline?”
“That was not my title. I guess if I was going to give it a title I would say hey let’s look at the facts. It is a big deal, absolutely to everybody involved and there’s pro and con to everything. I think that title belittled the other side, the opposition. It’s like, no, that’s not what I was trying to convey.”
Stiles has taken it upon himself to do his own research on the proposed pipeline. He admits he’s no expert, but from what he’s learned, he thinks the pros outweigh the cons
“Natural gas is pretty safe compared to other energy transport systems. Everything costs something absolutely. And I think getting natural gas is one of the better sources of energy to people is a good thing.”
At a recent day-long forum at Cabell Brand Center, John D’Orazio CEO of Roanoke Gas Company recalled the situation in 2008, before the advent of fracking, when there was a shortage of natural gas and the U.S had to import enough to serve demand.
“Because of the increase in production, the decrease in price, the demand for natural gas has grown substantially. The only way to get that gas to the market is to construct new pipelines. That’s why you’ve seen a large number of proposed pipelines to be constructed to be able to take that gas out of the shale formations and take it to a marketplace where it’s wanted.”
As the speakers spoke and the music played on Henderson Lawn in Blacksburg, a new theme seemed to be emerging. It’s no longer about where the pipeline might go, but where the future of energy production itself should go. Robin Scully Boucher is a teaching artist in Blacksburg who attended the rally.
“I think that if they used the $3.3 billion they’re using to construct this pipeline and put it into research and development of sustainable energy that we’d go a lot further a lot faster. We wouldn’t have to wait until a failure and a crisis to deal with these problems.”
According to the Mountain Valley Pipeline website, the companies behind the joint venture, EQT and Next Era energy must submit their formal application to the Federal energy regulatory commission by October.
