Episode 015: What is Lancaster Against Pipelines?
This week Shana sat down with Malinda Clatterbach and Tim Spiese, founding members of Lancaster Against Pipelines. Lancaster Against Pipelines (LAP) is a grassroots coalition of county residents in Lancaster, Pennsylvania opposing the Atlantic Sunrise Project. Despite their efforts, the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline was successfully built and was up and running by September 2018. During that time LAP did anything they could within their power to stop the production of the pipeline.
During their conversation, Shana talked with Tim and Malinda about how LAP brought together the residents across Lancaster County and the region to fight the production of the pipeline. Malinda described how this was largely the first time rural Lancaster Countians experienced any kind of environmental injustice in their community because the pipeline runs through pristine farmland along the western edge of the county. During the four years of production, the community rallied together to do whatever they could to prevent this pipeline from destroying their community and others downstream. Both Malinda and Tim recall of protests and vigils the community would have on the construction site. They also discussed with Shana how the diverse religious community provided unique challenges and benefits in their efforts to try and stop this pipeline from coming into their community. Despite their hard work the pipeline was still installed. Today LAP has turned their efforts to help other grassroots organizations in Pennsylvania fighting to ban fracking.
Together Malinda, Tim, and Shana also talked about how critically important this election is. They discussed why it is important that we elect leaders that see environmental injustice happening in rural communities as well as urban and minority communities.
We all need to vote in this very important election on November 3rd! Here in Pennsylvania, you have until October 19th to register to vote. October 27th is the last day to request your mail-in ballot and must be postmarked before November 3rd to count. Don’t forget if you decide to vote in person, Election Day is November 3rd. Polls in Pennsylvania are open from 7 am-8 pm. If you would like to register to vote or request your mail-in ballot, please go to votespa.com.
