Appalachian’s Against Pipelines created a social media post today, July 12th, 2023, glorifying in their ability to shut down an MVP Construction site in Flatwoods, WV, taking food off the tables of hard working West Virginians.
Their post said “This morning!! More than 20 pipeline fighters walked on to an MVP construction site this morning and disrupted work with signs saying “Another Day Another Stay, No MVP” and “Doom 2 The Pipeline.” The Flatwoods Branch stream crossing is one of five sites where MVP says they are continuing to work after yesterday’s court-ordered stay on construction, claiming they are finishing placing, welding, and covering the pipe while the stream is dammed and diverted. As this protest shows, whatever the courts do, whatever congress does, the people will not let this pipeline be built! Yesterday’s news from the 4th circuit court is exciting, but if we’ve learned anything from the last 5+ years of fighting the pipeline through stops and starts and political/legal machinations, it’s that the only thing we can rely on is us.
A federal appeals court has once again halted construction on the Mountain Valley Pipeline being built through Virginia and West Virginia, even though congress passed legislation ordering all necessary permits to be issued. Senator Joe Manchin said that it should alarm all Americans when a court ignores the law.
The pipeline is projected to create 2,500 construction jobs, $40 million in new tax revenue for West Virginia, $10 million in new tax revenue for Virginia and up to $250 million in royalties for West Virginia landowners. Many of Calhoun County’s families are pipeline families and even if it’s not your family working on the pipeline, the effect will be felt throughout this community in the economy and family security.
