Hands Across Our Land Stands Firm on Cove Point in MD

from Popular Resistance

In protest of the construction of Dominion’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal at Cove Point, 40 people gathered at the tip of Cove Point on August 18. This was part of Hands Across Our Land, an event that saw people whose communities are impacted by the natural gas industry come together across nine states in a show of unity and mutual support.

The participants at the Hands Across Our Land event on Cove Point were mostly local to Lusby, but they were joined by a core organizer against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline from Richmond, Virginia; a family who’s lived with and fought the depths of fracking in Dimock, Pennsylvania; a community activist who’s worked tirelessly against gas infrastructure in and around Providence, Rhode Island; and others from across Maryland and Virginia.

Hands Across Our Land was initially organized by Free Nelson, a group from Nelson County, Virginia, working to stop Dominion’s proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline — a massive 42-inch diameter pipeline scheduled to transport super-highly pressurized gas between West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. Much of that gas would end up at Cove Point, where it would then be loaded on to tankers and shipped to India and Japan. The Cove Point Hands Across Our Land was organized by Calvert Citizens for a Healthy Community and We Are Cove Point, and hosted by a number of Cove Point Beach residents.

This location was chosen to show that Cove Point is a community and a beautiful point of land jutting out into the Chesapeake Bay, complemented by the oldest working lighthouse on the entire bay. Cove Point and its residents would be put in danger of constant exposure to hazardous chemicals and pollutants, and would face an ever-present risk of a catastrophic explosion if Dominion is able to finish construction of this LNG export terminal.

“This is my community that’s impacted,” said Leslie Garcia, a Cove Point Beach resident. “The pressure for Dominion to get rid of us is just as great as the pressure we’re applying to them — which is interesting for a company that has so much money; they have so much invested in this. We only have our lives. We have everything to lose.”

“We’re all going through trials and tribulations and frustrations with anything and everything to do with LNG,” added Lea Callahan, also of Cove Point Beach. “I felt a duty to all of those who traveled far and wide to provide access to our beautiful beach one mile from this behemoth. We can only keep fighting for what we believe is right.”

“[Hands Across Our Land] was something that was happening in a number of different communities,” said Nancy Ball, from Lusby. “This was a show of force. This wasn’t one community or two communities, but a lot of communities are not happy with gas infrastructure. It keeps showing Dominion that there are people out there — and there’s different people.”

“I liked the idea of connecting with other communities who are fighting their own gas struggles, and it’s good to look at the big picture of how everyone is connected. It empowers everyone to know that they’re not alone in their struggle,” commented Tracey Eno, from Cove Point.

“Dominion is less than a mile away from my house,” added Jeff Dixon, who lives on Cove Point Road, very near the LNG terminal. “Whatever happens there affects me and my neighbors. It could be ammonia releases, increased traffic or possible explosions. We need to get this facility shut down.”

This event came on the heels of members of Calvert Citizens For a Healthy Community and We Are Cove Point traveling to Ocean City on August 14 to participate in a kayak flotilla to demand that Maryland water is protected. Around 50 kayaks were gathered in the Isle of Wight Bay, just outside of a conference of the Maryland Association of Counties. County commissioners from across the state were present, including those from Calvert County.