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Save the Appalachian Trail from Pipelines
June 2, 2017 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
FreeA lunchtime hike with backpacks around Capitol Square to raise awareness on the pipelines’ impacts on the Appalachian Trail
On June 2nd, on the eve of National Trails Day, we are inviting all Virginia trail hikers – and everyone else that cares about our Appalachian Trail – to Governor Terry McAuliffe’s house so we can give him a compass. The Governor supports two massive pipelines for fracked gas that, if built, would dramatically harm the Appalachian Trail. Terry McAuliffe, in other words, is clearly LOST, and he needs our help. Come to Richmond on June 2nd with all your backpacking gear – and bring a compass to give to the Governor.
There are three things all hikers depend on:
The first is access to clean, reliable water along the trail. Without water, we cannot hike. With the Governor’s support, companies like Dominion Energy, EQT & NextEra want to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) and Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) for fracked gas. These pipelines would plow through geologically fragile areas that could threaten not only water along the trail but water for farmers and communities across 13 counties.
The second is our appreciation for beautiful mountain vistas. Along the Virginia AT, those vistas include places like Angel’s Rest, the Dragon Tooth, and Kelly Knob. But the ACP and MVP could harm all this, each crossing the AT with great impact. The companies want to clear cut and then blast off the tops of at least 38 miles of ridgetops – some within view of the AT — across Virginia and West Virginia to make room for the pipelines’ wide paths. They will decapitate these mountains. And the views and ecological health of places like Angel’s Rest and Dragon Tooth will be severely impacted.
Which is why Governor McAuliffe needs the third thing critical to hikers: a compass! He needs to chart a new course that opposes these pipelines and protects our Appalachian Trail.
Join us on Friday, June 2nd, in Richmond with all your backpacking gear, where we’ll give the Governor a compass and ask him to do the right thing.
Friends of Nelson welcomes event listings from all related groups who are working to oppose the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. To have your event listed on our calendar, please contact us at friendsofnelsonweb@gmail.com.
