Something unbelievably dangerous is happening in my hometown, and I feel powerless to stop it

What do you do when the government approves a building project that puts the entire region in danger?

When I first heard about the 42-inch natural gas pipeline they’re trying to run through Virginia’s New River Valley, little alarm bells went off in my head.

“Isn’t this a karst area?” I asked

“Don’t people drink well water here?” I asked

“Isn’t this a seismically active region?” I asked

“Don’t these pipes EXPLODE?” I asked

Screencapture of: http://www.wtae.com/news/reports-gas-well-on-fire-in-salem-township/39279470 (This is only a 30-inch pipeline leak)

The governmental body that approves pipelines, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has NEVER once said no to a pipeline, and has been accused of corruption numerous times.

If one were to defend the pipeline, one might say, “But the gas is for America!”

— but it isn’t. The natural gas is being sold offshore, destined for foreign nations.

If one were to defend the pipeline, one might say, “But it’s running along powerline routes, so you’re not taking extra land.”

— but they are. Along the entire route, the corridor will have to be widened with dynamite significantly for safety reasons. This causes the destruction of wildlife in national forests, as well as the eminent domain seizure of people’s backyards and homes.

If one were to defend the pipeline, one might say, “But the company knows what they’re doing!”

— but they don’t. They’ve never put in such a long pipeline before, and the longest pipeline they have put in made them the first gas company to be found CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT in building technique.

This pipeline doesn’t run through my parent’s backyard, but it runs through the backyards of my neighbors, people I know, people I see in the grocery store. It steals their land, puts them in danger during every of one of the very frequent earthquakes, and benefits big business and foreign countries.

If you live in Virginia, you can help me by writing a letter to your representative. If not, I’d appreciate it if you took the time to ‘heart’ or share this article. I’m hoping someone sane with more authority than I will read it.