Communities in midst of fracking boom to hold ‘Hands Across Our Land’ events

WEST UNION, W.Va. – Here, where the odors, sights, sounds and overall destruction of fracking is most felt, residents are participating in “Hands Across Our Land,” a national action being held in locations throughout Appalachia and beyond in opposition to fracking and the related development of the natural gas industry.

According to Wayne Woods, president of the Doddridge County Watershed Association (DCWA), that group “ … and concerned citizens from all over North Central West Virginia will meet Tuesday August 18th at 6 p.m. for the Hands Across Our Land event. It will be held at the West Union Park in West Union.”

Woods explained the significance of the location, noting, “The park is located along Middle Island Creek that has been impacted by gas drilling in the Doddridge County area. We are conducting this solidarity action to let the fossil fuel industry and community leaders know that while we are separate grassroots organization we stand with each other in opposition to the building of new fossil fuel infrastructure.”

Autumn Long, a resident in neighboring Harrison County intends to participate. She shared, “This day of action brings together communities that are geographically dispersed but united by exploitation suffered at the hands of the oil and gas industry. Fossil fuel development is destroying our environment, impacting our health, and degrading our quality of life. By publicly linking hands across our land, we are demonstrating opposition to this exploitation and solidarity in our shared struggle.”

Meanwhile, further north, Pennsylvanians and West Virginians will join hands at Point Marion, Pa., near the boundary between the two states. Southwestern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia are situation in the heart of the Marcellus Shale boom and thus are experiencing public health and safety threats associated with the industry, as well as ecological destruction.

Duane Nichols is the Hands Across Our Land coordinator for the Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition. He said, “We will be meeting on the Monongahela River Bridge in Pt. Marion at12:30 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. Private citizens and members of other organizations from northern West Virginia will join those from Greene, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland Counties in Pennsylvania. We will form a chain across the bridge, thus joining ‘Hands Across Our Land.’”

Learn more:
For the Doddridge County event, visit the DCWA Facebook page or its page for this event.
For the state line event, contact Nichols at Duane330@aol.com.

Related Articles:
Appalachian Residents Joining Hands in Opposition to Pipeline Development and Fracking
A Dirty Dozen Reasons to Oppose Fracking
Fracking Poses Threats to Public Health

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