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Friend,
WOW. When Environmental Action members signed on to support another week of action at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), I knew it would be a powerful, important week of action. What I wasn't prepared for was how fun, creative and downright beautiful it would all be!
On behalf of the hundreds of people who showed up, made art, called in, chipped in and otherwise participated in this big week of action: THANK YOU for all your support!
But hang on, we're not done yet! Here are three ways you can support the FERCus before it's over:
Right now our team from beyond Extreme Energy (BXE) is wrapping up a big march through downtown D.C. where they've occupied the lobbies of some of Fracking's most notorious companies: Spectra Energy (which is building pipelines across the northeast); the American Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA, the lobby group for frackers here in D.C.); And even NPR - which takes money from the fracking industry to air blatantly pro-gas ads on shows like Morning Edition and All Things Considered; and, of course, FERC headquarters on first street. We’re also receiving reports that some of the commissioners have shut off their phones or are refusing our calls. This is a good sign that our calls are making an impact! If you don’t get through on your first try, please call back and try leaving a message for a different commissioner, or push 6 to connect to the General Mailbox.
Today is the last day of our #FERCus blockade - a whole week of creative actions to shut down FERC and block fracked gas. FERC is supposed to regulate the gas industry, yet it constantly approves dangerous fracked gas projects like interstate pipelines, compressor stations and LNG projects. They ignore the communities who are hurt by these projects’ devastating health, economic, environmental and climate impacts.
Yesterday, the team at Beyond Extreme Energy met up with Divestment leaders from across the east coast to stage an impromptu teach in at FERC and Union Station. It's part of a coordinated campaign to get the D.C. city council, and dozens of universities, cities and institutions to divest from fossil fuels -- including fracked gas and pipelines.
Earlier in the week, five protesters were arrested right before an interfaith vigil outside FERC. Clergy from several faiths urged FERC to "listen to the earth" as they consider the impacts of fracking and fracking-related projects. And on Tuesday, front line communities blockaded the main entrance to FERC with a giant, 50 foot banner. At the same time, a separate team staged a daring, colorful action right behind FERC on North Capitol Street (just a few blocks from Congress and NPR) that featured a brave fracktivist climber dangling twenty feet from the ground with a banner opposed to fracking and fracked gas infrastructure.
This isn't the end of our fight to stop FERC and fracking, but it's sure been a fun stop along the way. Share the news from the #FERCus and take a moment to marvel at all the amazing artwork, actions, and people who made this week possible.
Thanks,
Drew and the Beyond Extreme Energy team
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