Pipeline to the CCW Conference

At this year’s Choose Clean Water Conference, we are putting on a special workshop to highlight the work of our members in addressing proposed natural gas pipelines in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. While pipelines may seem unstoppable, the workshop speakers will talk about how to get involved in the pipeline fight, activate your community, and use specific strategies and tactics in your campaign. Our six activists will discuss different approaches taken during the fight against multiple pipelines – analyzing what works and what doesn’t, so that you can walk away ready to make a real impact.

Our speakers have plenty of experience battling pipelines, and will provide all of us with a better understanding of the potential pipeline consequences. They are:

Brent Walls

Brent Walls, representing Upper Potomac Riverkeeper. Brent is responsible for defending the public trust of the rivers and streams in the Upper Potomac, and is an invaluable part of pipeline defense, thanks to his expertise in environmental science and GIS. His work has been made it possible for Potomac Riverkeeper to develop water trail maps of the upper Potomac.

Kate Wofford

Kate Wofford is coming from Shenandoah Valley Network, a group that maintains healthy rural communities while protecting and restoring natural resources in the Shenandoah region. Kate has been a water resource defender for more than 15 years, bringing to our conference experience from multiple states and issues – including the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

Eve Miari is speaking for the Clean Air Council, inspired to fight against the Mariner East Pipeline project because, as a mother, she understood the risks posed by building a pipeline near an elementary school. Eve’s work focuses in on building relationships and helping people to understand how pipelines impact the lives of those around them.

Malinda Harnish Clatterbuck

We are excited to have Malinda Harnish Clatterbuck from Lancaster Against Pipelines coming to speak at our session as well. Malinda’s most recent pipeline fight is against the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline in Western Pennsylvania, a battle that has been continuous for more than three years now. Her passion for grassroots activism and engaging new communities is invaluable for us as clean water activists. She is joined by another, equally passionate Lancaster Against Pipeline’s staff member, Josh Yoder.

April Pierson-Keating comes to us from Mountain Lakes Preservation Alliance, a group pushing back against the Mountain Valley Pipeline and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline in West Virginia. April writes passionate and informative blogs to educate the public on the current status of these pipelines, as well as fighting for the female voice in environmental issues.

If you have not signed up for our conference, we suggest you do so as soon as possible! It would be a shame to miss out on the wonderful nuggets of knowledge provided by each of these speakers. Along with this pipeline session, our conference also includes sessions on healthy soils, engaging the faith community, equity – there is something for every kind of environmental activist!  We look forward to seeing you in Lancaster, Pennsylvania from May 22 -23.

Mary Katherine Sullivan is an intern with Choose Clean Water