Above photo: Miles Amoore.
Washington, DC – This morning, as part of People vs Fossil Fuels national week of action, rebels from Extinction Rebellion DC chained themselves to the doors of the Wilson Building to demand the DC Council take a stand against Washington Gas’ deadly Project Pipes. The $4.5 billion massive pipeline replacement project would force DC to rely on dangerous planet-warming fossil fuels for decades to come, making the city’s current climate goals impossible to reach.
The action occurred while the sky filled with hazardous smoke from wildfires in Canada. The burning of fossil fuels like methane make wildfires such as these stronger and more frequent. The smoke was a visual representation of our elected officials’ failure to act with the urgency and scale necessary to avert further disaster.
Before the two rebels chained themselves to the building, speakers Rebecca Spring from XRDC and Doug Siglin from Chesapeake Climate Action Network rallied attendees and emphasized the need to stop Project Pipes. Rebels then engaged in creative street theater about Washington Gas’ manipulation of Public Service Commission members and DC Councilmembers, who are set to approve Project Pipes at the expense of DC residents. The theater ended with dirty smoke spewing from a large structure of gas pipes – created by artist Cesar Maxit – and rebels concluded the action in chant and song.
“Approving Project Pipes at a time when experts have repeatedly warned to stop new fossil fuel infrastructure is absolutely unconscionable. Since the Public Service Commission has thus far bent to the whims of Washington Gas, it’s time for the DC Council to step in and push for the end of the project,” said Jade Olson, Press Spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion DC. “Methane is a dangerous and deadly gas that puts our community’s health and safety at risk every single day, especially those with lower incomes and communities of color. The time to kick methane out of DC is now.”
This action followed yesterday’s rally at the White House to stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline and was undertaken in coordination with 50+ events across the nation and 64 organizations demanding an end to the era of fossil fuels at all levels of society.