from L’eau Est La Vie

October 20, 2018

Water Protectors shut down ETP shareholders meeting days after ETP security sunk two boats filled with journalists and Water Protectors in the swamps of the Atchafalya Basin

DALLAS, TEXAS 10/19 – On Friday morning, Water Protectors locked themselves to gates at the entrance of the residence of Kelcy Warren, CEO and Chairman of Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), demanding the company abided by a court-order mandating it provide an evacuation route for the African-American community of St. James, the terminus for their controversial Bayou Bridge pipeline and the end of their Dakota Access Pipeline.

The community of St. James lies in the heart of what is dubbed, Cancer Alley, where cancer rates among residents is far higher than the average due to the toxic infrastructure of chemical plants, refineries and pipeline export facilities. Although state regulations require ETP to consider the impact its Bayou Bridge pipeline will have on St. James, the company failed to do so, further endangering the community.

Energy Transfer Partners also endangered the lives of water protectors earlier this week, when one of their security vessels sank two boats filled with water protectors, an independent journalist, and a crew from “Klepper”. The Viacom Media Network primetime weekly news series, featuring Jordan Klepper and set to launch in 2019, was filming construction of the Bayou Bridge pipeline when the attack occurred.

As crews were filming deep within the swamps of the Atchafalaya basin, an ETP security boat passed by the smaller boats, maneuvering within the narrow bayou and created life-threatening wakes that sunk both boats within seconds. L’eau Est La Vie Camp’s all femme captains got the boats to the banks of the swamp as they were quickly submerging into the gator-filled swamp.

Three days later, on Thursday, Water Protectors from L’eau Est La Vie joined pipeline opponents of ETP’s Mariner East and Dakota Access pipelines to shut down ETP’s shareholders meeting in Dallas, TX. As shareholders were forced to evacuate, a banner dropped from an adjacent building read, “Kelcy Warren Hates Black and Brown People”.

Warren, CEO and Chairman of ETP, fled when frontline leaders Ellen Gerhart (Pennsylvania, Mariner East), Cherri Foytlin (Louisiana, Bayou Bridge), and Waniya Locke (Standing Rock, Dakota Access) began to speak to shareholders about the gross misconduct of ETP-led projects. Foytlin and Locke were both arrested and Foytlin was put in solitary confinement for six hours.

L’eau Est La Vie Camp is a hub for pipeline resistance and peaceful opposition to the Bayou Bridge pipeline.

MEDIA CONTACT(S):

Anne White Hat: 504-722-5750

Cherri Foytlin: 334-462-4484

Mark Tilsen: 605-415-8533