Mother & Community Members Occupy Construction Equipment to Protect Children from Fracked Gas Pipelines

It’s Going Down was sent the following communique on the recent occupation of VNG Pipeline Construction Equipment to protect children at the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School and people everywhere from fracked gas pipelines.

CHESAPEAKE, Virginia – 12 people gathered at 5am on a Monday morning and readied themselves to greet construction workers at the Southside Connector Pipeline site right by Thurgood Marshall Elementary school. Banners were tied across equipment that read; “Methane Gas Blast Danger + Climate Disaster”, “Our Children Deserve Better”, “No Pipelines”, and “Blast Zone 540ft”. A handful of the participants sat on construction equipment, and others gathered nearby. The group identified one major reason for their presence- the children at Thurgood Marshall Elementary and children everywhere are put at risk by the presence of fracked/methane gas pipelines.

Community members occupy construction equipment right next to Thurgood Marshall. They held space and delayed construction for about 2 hours. Their message: “Children in the Methane Gas Blast Zone.”

The group was calm but deliberate in their message. Their concern was for the future of children here in Hampton Roads and children everywhere. The occupation of the equipment was a demonstration that children should not be put at risk in the name of profit. The police gave a warning that they would be charged with trespassing, which prompted some protestors to step away from equipment. But, one person, Kim Williams (a mother and Norfolk resident) remained in place until the police removed them from equipment and cited for trespassing. “As a parent, I am horrified by the thought of children, teachers, and school staff working daily so close to a potential methane blast. We must say no to new fossil fuel pipelines”, says Kim as she occupies the equipment.

Thurgood Marshall elementary is in the blast zone of the Southside Connector Pipeline. The group distributed literature (included below) and baked goods to Virginia Natural Gas workers with information on the hazards of a blast zone. The southside connector has a potential Blast Zone Radius of 300-600 feet depending on the operating pressure- with a max of 1,250 PSI. According to their info, in a worst-case scenario; “Homes within 540 feet of the blast were destroyed.” Thurgood Marshall Elementary is easily within 100 feet of the pipeline.

Methane gas and carbon emissions from pipelines in Chesapeake, VA and everywhere are also a significant threat for children. Each of these types of gases contribute to climate change and only accelerate climate change’s impact on sea-level rise, extreme weather, public health, and much more.

Links for more information:

• http://thenewjournalandguide.com/part-two-acp-gas-pipeline-threads-under-largely-black-populated-areas/
• Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Setback Calculation of Safety Setbacks by C. Rhodes, P. Eng., Ph.D: http://www.xylenepower.com/Natural%20Gas%20Pipeline%20Safety%20Setback.htm
• A Model for Sizing High Consequence Areas associated with Natural Pipelines by C-Fer technologies; https://pstrust.org/docs/C-FerCircle.pdf