In 2018, construction on the 303-mile fracked-gas Mountain Valley Pipeline began in Virginia and West Virginia. Then MVP announced plans to extend the unfinished mainline 70-miles into North Carolina via the MVP Southgate Extension, which would require a massive, polluting compressor station in a predominately Black community near Chatham, VA. Construction on Southgate will only begin if the compressor station gets approved, and the NC DEQ has denied necessary permits multiple times.
MVP has amassed over 350 water quality violations, and is years behind schedule on the Mainline alone. The project faces increasing legal and regulatory roadblocks, including the loss of federal authorizations coupled with new construction limitations. For this, we can thank the frontline community members, lawyers and grassroots organizers at Appalachian Voices, POWHR and others, for their dedication to stopping MVP.
We are all hands on deck this September 2022 to demand our elected officials oppose the Manchin-Schumer Dirty Deal, which will be voted on sometime this month. The proposed bill is all about deregulation in favor of the fossil fuel industry. It aims to fast-track the MVP, and will gut the regulatory mechanisms frontline communities depend on for evaluation, consultation and input into the energy projects proposed for our own backyards.
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Tribal nations, communities and countries across the globe have been protecting threatened ecosystems through Rights of Nature laws and court decisions, which recognize and protect the legal rights of nature, and institute mechanisms to enforce and defend these rights (against a pipeline corporation, for example). Through the end of 2022, we’ll be offering film screenings, workshops and educational content to prepare for the January 2023 NC Legislative Session, where we’ll be campaigning for Rights of Nature legislation to protect the Haw River.
Sign up to join our Rights for the Haw Committee/Working Group.
In collaboration with historian Beverly Scarlett (Founder of Indigenous Memories), our Indigenous History Teach-Ins are monthly, free events that are held outdoors across The Triangle. Each event features a rotating lineup of local Native voices who weave research, oral history and visuals to reveal the history that dominant colonial narratives strive to suppress and erase. Check out the calendar for the next Teach-In.
We also welcome facilitating educational events for private groups, such as schools, faith groups, community orgs, etc. Fill out our contact form and we'll get back to you.
Ancient life-giving cultures of compassion, prayerful action, humility and solidarity are in our blood. Through initiatives like Community Build Days, we are working to re-establish our ancestors' ways of community care and collective action. We believe in nurturing a diverse network of leaders, attuned to our unique identities and gifts, to help redistribute resources and build community resilience.
Make sure to visit our Event Page frequently, to stay current on upcoming Community Build Days and other opportunities to participate.
Check out this video about our Community Build Day at A Pleasant Grove Food Forest.
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