CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) –
Saturday, Anti-pipeline group Friends of Buckingham hosted a tribunal at Charlottesville’s CitySpace where more than 40 people spoke about what they see as the negative effects of the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
This comes about a week after the Department of Environmental Quality ruled the pipeline to be safe.
“Even though they say it’s a done deal, I say that it’s not a done deal,” Ruby Laury, who lives near the proposed compressor station, said.
A little more than a week after the VDEQ ruled the ACP environmentally safe, more than 40 people gave their testimony against the pipeline at a tribunal Saturday.
“The beautiful scenery, no pollution, no noise, just wanted to live out our golden years,” Laury said, referring to 10 years ago.
Laury is worried about gas emissions from a proposed compressor station for the natural gas pipeline affecting her family and animals on her farm nearby.
“Was just totally blown away about what these poisonous gasses can do to the environment not only to the human beings but also to our farm animals,” Laury said.
Andrew Tyler is a Native American descendant.
“This red tear that I wear under my left eye, I wear it to acknowledge the sacrifices of my ancestors,” Andrew Tyler of Coalition of Woodland Nations said.
Tyler compares Dominion Energy potentially using eminent domain to acquire land for the pipeline to British colonizers claiming the land of the Native Americans.
“So here we are today 500 years later and the dominant culture still looks upon our homes and claims eminent domain only now they’re not looking at native people but non-native people as well, people with homes and farms and businesses, corporate entities and their political allies who are blinded by the sickness of greed,” Tyler said.
The testimonies heard at this tribunal were all documented and will be sent to the United Nations in hopes of receiving aid in the on-going fight against the pipeline.
Domain Energy maintains it will fairly compensate all landowners along the pipeline route and will only invoke eminent domain if an agreement cannot be reached.
WVIR TV – 10.28.2017
Posted by: Nelson Bailey
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