FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Contact: Adam Mason, adam@iowacci.org, (515) 282-0484

Pipeline Fighters Appear in Court and Hold Press Conference

Thirty arrested while blocking construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline vow to continue fighting for climate justice

Des Moines, IA – On Thursday morning, members of The Bakken Pipeline Resistance Coalition, including Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, Bold Iowa, and 100 Grannies for a Livable Future, appeared in court for taking arrests to stop construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline in late August.Following the hearing, they held a press conference and rally detailing their reasons for arrest and the next steps in the fight to stop the Dakota Access pipeline.

“Today we faced the consequences of our actions to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline.  We accept these because the consequences of our inaction would be too great,” said Crystal Defatte, one of the arrestees from Bettendorf, Iowa.

“Now it’s President Obama’s turn to act.  If he cares about the native people of this land he will stop this pipeline from further destroying their sacred sites, and instead honor the treaties that have been made with them,” she said. “If he truly is committed to encouraging the growth of environmentally friendly energy source industries he will direct the Army Corps of Engineering to revoke the permits that have allowed this potential environmental disaster to be built.”

Thirty were arrested on August 31 in Boone County while blocking trucks from leaving and entering a Dakota Access pipeline construction staging area. More than 150 protestors attended in solidarity to stand against the pipeline.

“The people of America’s heartland should not have to take on the risk of water and soil contamination just so a large corporation can fatten their bottom line with this export pipeline,” said Heather Pearson of Logan, Iowa. “It is all risk, no reward for Iowans.”

Bold Iowa and Iowa CCI have spear-headed the “Bakken Pipeline Pledge of Resistance,” which has now been signed by 2,400 people, including nearly 600 who have pledged to risk arrest in acts of peaceful, nonviolent civil disobedience to stop construction of the pipeline.

“I’m fighting Bakken as a water protector, because our streams, rivers lakes & aquifers aren’t unlimited resources,” said Kathy Meyer of Iowa City. “There will be a leak and it will have far reaching, devastating consequences on our environment, our drinking water our very lives.”

A growing number of organizations, landowners and everyday citizens across the state are committed to stopping the proposed Bakken Pipeline alongside the Bakken Pipeline Resistance Coalition. Visit www.nobakken.com.

Bold Iowa is part of the national Bold Alliance, now in five states and building new alliances to fight fossil-fuel infrastructure expansion projects and promote renewable energy. Visit www.boldnebraska.org/tag/bold-alliance.

Iowa CCI is a statewide, grassroots people’s action group that uses community organizing to win public policy that puts communities before corporations and people before profits, politics and polluters. CCI has been fighting to put people first for 40 years. Visit www.iowacci.org.

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