Activists in Tampa and St. Petersburg joined in a series of protests across the world Tuesday against the Dakota Access pipeline; a hundred people marched along downtown St. Petersburg’s Central Avenue at lunchtime. They held signs and chanted their opposition to the DAPL – the Dakota Access pipeline being built on tribal lands in North Dakota to transport fossil fuels.
Liza Epstein is concerned that the oil pipeline will leak and destroy water resources.
“I’m here today, both to stand for Standing Rock–what’s happening in North Dakota–and be in solidarity with what’s happening there. We all deserve to have clean water and it’s especially affecting an area that– this is their access to clean water. This is where their tribal land is. It matters that we all have clean water and we want to stand up with them”
You are also tying this into a different pipeline that’s in Florida: The Sabal Trail pipeline. What’s the connection and how do you feel about the Sabal Trail pipeline?
“Well, I feel like, even more important for Florida is to focus on what’s happening on our ground, on our land. The Sabal pipeline, which is a 516-mile long pipeline that’s going through 60% of our water in our aquifer. So, it’s going to affect 60% of our drinking water.
“This matters to me, because, I care about all of our population here. I care that we have clean water. The fact is, the pipeline is already leaking in Georgia, so this matters.”
St. Petersburg protest against pipelines. By Seán Kinane / WMNF News (2016 Nov. 15).
The leak in Georgia, you know they told the regulators that everything would be fine, but, then they drilled in and there was a leak.
“All I know is that it’s seeping in and that they are– that it’s affecting Georgia. But, I know it’s in their drinking water.”
There is also a protest going on in north Florida against the Sabal Trail. There were 14 people arrested over the weekend. What happened in the arrests and what’s happening to them now?
“I know that people who were being peaceful, but, putting their bodies in the line of their business, they were the ones who were arrested. I have heard that there are people who have been accused of being aggressive, that haven’t been aggressive and they are just arresting them”
You are going up to a hearing, on Tuesday, is it?
“Yes. In Citrus Springs there’s a hearing inside a church that’s supposed to be hearing about how close they’re putting it to schools. We are there rooting it. I know the Sierra Club and other organizations are suing because they didn’t do a Full Climate Impact report and they didn’t do a full ‘saying what it is that’s going to affect us’ report. So, they want that.
“This should matter to all of us that none of us are immune to our water issues. We all bathe, we all drink, we feed this to our animals, to our plants. This is where our food comes from, gets water from. This should matter to all of us.”
WMNF spoke with one protester, Larry Tharson of Miami Beach, as he walked past businesses and people eating lunch at tables on the sidewalk.
What are you doing in St. Petersburg?
“Visiting a friend who wants to demonstrate today and I agree, entirely, with the goal here. Let’s stop this pipeline!”
How, though, would a pipeline in North Dakota affect Miami Beach?
“It’s all of us, together. There’s demonstrations all around the country and this is the time to try to stop a project with national significance. Everybody needs to get behind it.”
St. Petersburg protest against pipelines. By Seán Kinane / WMNF News (2016 Nov. 15).
What is it about the pipeline that you oppose?
“It’s basically taking the carbon out of the earth, where it should be resting, for a long time, otherwise, it’s going to be killing our environment, down the line. It’s everybody who’s affected by this.”
Megan Weeks is a local activist in St. Petersburg.
“I’m here to stand with Standing Rock. I’ve been following this movement, since it’s origin in April and they’ve been through a lot. They need all the support that they can get, from every corner of the nation. I’m honored to be here, as one small city in this huge fight for water, for life. It’s that vital.”
St. Petersburg protest against pipelines. By Seán Kinane / WMNF News (2016 Nov. 15).
What are some of the chants you’re hearing? Right now we hear “Water is Life.” What else?
“No DAPL; Dakota Access Pipeline.”
What is the connection, then, between the water–people are saying “Water is Life”–and this pipeline that’s for oil?
“Right. So, crude oil is going to be pumped over 500-miles through this pipeline, under the Missouri river, which is a major water source for many states. The idea of building this pipeline under that river is preposterous. The chances for leakage are definite. Eventually it will happen. It’s happening, right now, with current pipelines and we can’t risk it.”
Another protest took place Tuesday afternoon at downtown Tampa’s Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. They’re part of a coordinated nationwide series of protests.
9 Responses to “St. Pete & Tampa protest Dakota Access Pipeline”
4CommonSense
It is obvious that the protesters cannot reconcile their use of petroleum products while protesting progress. Natural gas is abundant and a cleaner energy source than oil or coal. Solar and wind energy solutions are not viable to create the energy needed to fill the needs of Florida’s infrastructure.
It begs the question of what these activists do for a living? I know the majority of the Dakota access protesters arrested the other day were not even from that state.
George Soros owns the rail system that transports the oil from the north to the south via his monopoly of rail road lines. Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has agreed to buy Burlington Northern Santa Fe in a deal valuing the railroad at $34 billion.
Buffet and Soros have monopolized the rail system and are trying to stop pipelines that would take their profits.
Do these activists realize they are being used and lied to?
Which pipeline company employs you? Do you have any idea how much pollution natural gas causes? And since this pipeline is being put in place to profit Big Oil, why do you want it? It is going to provide gas for export, not for use in Florida.
You have no idea what you are talking about. Repeating liberal progressive talking points may be excellent pablum for activists and protesters but not here in a civil conversation where you will get taken to task.
The bottom line is you use fossil fuels every day like it or no. Fossil fuels provide the quality of life you so hate with your unrealistic goals.
This gas is being used for Duke energy as its nuclear plant is shut down. Educate yourself before speaking or else you seem like a nut case.
This gas is slated for export, as it is in excess of projected needs.
Renewable energy is a realistic thing. Yes, we all use fossil fuels right now, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to change. Part of that change involves making it possible to avoid their use through the development of renewable energy sources. Part of that change involves not building more faulty infrastructure to justify it’s continued use. If you think it isn’t realistic, look at Europe. Look at Burlington, VT, the first U.S. city to use 100% renewable energy sources.
It is your employer and other Big Oil companies that are holding us back by their propaganda and policies and through lobbying. The preferential tax treatment that Big Oil gets keeps petroleum products artificially cheap, and that creates much of the problem. It is the fact that a slap on the wrist for massive pollution rather than charging the costs of cleanup plus fines that creates much of the problem. It is the fact that they continue to get away with breaking the law because fines costing less than profits realized by breaking the law provide no incentive to follow the law.
They are not breaking the law. Again, you have no idea what you are talking about. Hypocrisy is what you actually represent.
If you think Europe is so great, try it. This is America.
Walt Payne
Ahhh, so I am repeating Liberal progressive talking points and know nothing … yet YOU cannot state any facts, just repeating the same thing again. Oh, wait, maybe I have exceeded your limit on reading? Or is that the limit of what your master told you to spout and you don’t know what else to say?
You called it “unrealistic goals”, yet proof that it works elsewhere gets a response of “If you think Europe is so great, try it. This is America.” Wow, intelligent comeback! And in case you don’t know it, I mentioned Burlington, VT also, which happens to BE in America.
And oil companies constantly break the environmental laws, among others, because profit is higher than the cost of the fines. Fact!
4CommonSense
Enjoy felony trespass charges. America is a nation of laws and you and your group are on the wrong side of it.
The bottom line is that you cannot take matters into your own hands and must follow the rules. I am not one of those who gives merit to someone who has not a clue what natural gas does.
You think posting wacky videos of wacky people supporting your wacky cause helps?
Try it in a court of law. Better yet try this in front of the judge when you stand before the court with felony trespass charges.
Suck on that.
4CommonSense
enjoy your felony trespass charge….tell it to the judge……
4CommonSense
you get your facts from facebook pages…….
Simply put, nothing you allege will hold up in court.
Let me repeat that, nothing you cry about is true and is demonstrably false.
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It is obvious that the protesters cannot reconcile their use of petroleum products while protesting progress. Natural gas is abundant and a cleaner energy source than oil or coal. Solar and wind energy solutions are not viable to create the energy needed to fill the needs of Florida’s infrastructure.
It begs the question of what these activists do for a living? I know the majority of the Dakota access protesters arrested the other day were not even from that state.
George Soros owns the rail system that transports the oil from the north to the south via his monopoly of rail road lines. Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has agreed to buy Burlington Northern Santa Fe in a deal valuing the railroad at $34 billion.
Buffet and Soros have monopolized the rail system and are trying to stop pipelines that would take their profits.
Do these activists realize they are being used and lied to?
Which pipeline company employs you? Do you have any idea how much pollution natural gas causes? And since this pipeline is being put in place to profit Big Oil, why do you want it? It is going to provide gas for export, not for use in Florida.
You have no idea what you are talking about. Repeating liberal progressive talking points may be excellent pablum for activists and protesters but not here in a civil conversation where you will get taken to task.
The bottom line is you use fossil fuels every day like it or no. Fossil fuels provide the quality of life you so hate with your unrealistic goals.
This gas is being used for Duke energy as its nuclear plant is shut down. Educate yourself before speaking or else you seem like a nut case.
This gas is slated for export, as it is in excess of projected needs.
Renewable energy is a realistic thing. Yes, we all use fossil fuels right now, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to change. Part of that change involves making it possible to avoid their use through the development of renewable energy sources. Part of that change involves not building more faulty infrastructure to justify it’s continued use. If you think it isn’t realistic, look at Europe. Look at Burlington, VT, the first U.S. city to use 100% renewable energy sources.
It is your employer and other Big Oil companies that are holding us back by their propaganda and policies and through lobbying. The preferential tax treatment that Big Oil gets keeps petroleum products artificially cheap, and that creates much of the problem. It is the fact that a slap on the wrist for massive pollution rather than charging the costs of cleanup plus fines that creates much of the problem. It is the fact that they continue to get away with breaking the law because fines costing less than profits realized by breaking the law provide no incentive to follow the law.
They are not breaking the law. Again, you have no idea what you are talking about. Hypocrisy is what you actually represent.
If you think Europe is so great, try it. This is America.
Ahhh, so I am repeating Liberal progressive talking points and know nothing … yet YOU cannot state any facts, just repeating the same thing again. Oh, wait, maybe I have exceeded your limit on reading? Or is that the limit of what your master told you to spout and you don’t know what else to say?
You called it “unrealistic goals”, yet proof that it works elsewhere gets a response of “If you think Europe is so great, try it. This is America.” Wow, intelligent comeback! And in case you don’t know it, I mentioned Burlington, VT also, which happens to BE in America.
And oil companies constantly break the environmental laws, among others, because profit is higher than the cost of the fines. Fact!
Enjoy felony trespass charges. America is a nation of laws and you and your group are on the wrong side of it.
The bottom line is that you cannot take matters into your own hands and must follow the rules. I am not one of those who gives merit to someone who has not a clue what natural gas does.
You think posting wacky videos of wacky people supporting your wacky cause helps?
Try it in a court of law. Better yet try this in front of the judge when you stand before the court with felony trespass charges.
Suck on that.
enjoy your felony trespass charge….tell it to the judge……
you get your facts from facebook pages…….
Simply put, nothing you allege will hold up in court.
Let me repeat that, nothing you cry about is true and is demonstrably false.