Bluemont, VA-- Today, over 50 community members joined hands at Bear’s Den in Bluemont,VA to resist the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines-- both cutting through national forests and protected public lands.The event is one of three around the Virginia standing up for protection of precious natural lands today, coming just days after the Department of Environmental Quality hearings on the 401 Secretary Zinke will release his final recommendations on the future of the country’s national monuments. Sec. Zinke is currently reviewing 27 of the country’s protected monuments, threatening their protected status, and that of public lands nationwide.
In response, Kirk Bowers Public Lands Director at Sierra Club Virginia Chapter issued the following statement:
“The proposal to build the three pipelines through some of the most beautiful wilderness in Virginia poses a serious threat to both the environment and to the communities along the route.”
“The negative impacts of the three proposed pipelines far outweigh any positive outcomes.
These pipelines will cross several conservation easements, which violates the goals of land
conservation administered by the Virginia Outdoor Foundation and impact the nationally known
and highly popular recreational features including the George Washington National Forest, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Great Eastern Trail, and the iconic Appalachian Trail.”
“Hands Across the Appalachian Trail is our community response to protect valued natural parks and environment. By coming together and simply showing the number of people who value and enjoy these natural areas, we are working to protect these important lands.”
###