Earth Democracy
Act Now to Divest from Banks Funding the Dakota Access Pipeline
By Nancy Price and Hattie Nestel
Why Divest?
During the debate over Keystone XL Pipeline, James Hansen, at the time NASA's top climate scientist, famously wrote in the New York Times that "if these 'dirtiest of fuels' are fully exploited...'it will be game over for the climate.'"
The author of 2014 Was the Hottest Year Ever Recorded. Then It Was 2015. Now It's 2016
emphasizes that to deny global warming means to deny climate change is striking harder and faster than many scientists predicted. And to deny this, means turning our backs to "the serious humanitarian and environmental consequences and that we must keep fossil fuels in the ground -- no new oil, coal, or gas projects, to which we add - no nuclear energy either!.
Time is of the essence. Here's What Hattie and I Ask You To Do!
Join the Divestment Movement to pressure banks that fund or manage money that funds the Dakota Access Pipeline to divest. Many of these banks are also invested in other pipeline and fossil fuel infrastructure projects.
The CEO's and governing bodies of these banks DO have choices on what projects they give loans to.
1. Contact the 17 Banks Funding the Dakota Access Pipeline -- the CEO names, emails and phone numbers. Please contact them, NOW! Click here for this information.
2. Picket in front of your local bank.
Find a good day and time when you and a few allies can do this every week. You only need a few people with good simple message as Hattie Nestel is doing in front of the TD Bank in Athol.
3.
Move Your Money. If you have an account at any of these banks,
move your money to a different bank such as a local credit union or regional bank.
4. Write a Letter to the Editor. Here's an example from Hattie Nestel to the head of TD bank.
6. Petition your city and county councils to create a task-force to move municipal/county funds out of any of these 17 banks.
Keep watch they do this as it may take time for them to do so.
7. Research whether your state has money deposited in one of these banks
or invests in one of them to fund state pensions.
Recently, it was
discovered that the State of Vermont, one of the most liberal states, has $193 million of taxpayer money deposited in TD bank which is HEAVILY invested in DAPL and lots of other pipeline projects. Hattie suggests we try to find out where our co-ops and pension funds are deposited. It is not enough that they are not invested in fossil fuels if they are using banks that are so invested.
Thank you for taking action.
We must act now on the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Latest Update.
Pres. Trump and his Cabinet all support fossil fuels and many are climate deniers. And, the organized resistance at Standing Rock is not "standing down." Police opened fire with tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets Monday, January 16th, to disperse water protectors holding a prayer march against the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline near the site where Energy Transfer Partners hopes to drill beneath the Missouri River. Police said they arrested at least three people after they cut through a section of razor wire surrounding the site.
On
Wednesday, January 18th, a federal judge rejected an attempt by the Dakota Access pipeline company, Energy Transfer Partners, to block the Army Corps of Engineers from beginning a lengthy environmental impact review on the section of pipeline slated to cross the Missouri River. This environmental impact study will now move forward, indefinitely halting construction of the pipeline (cited from Democracy Now headlines for January 19).
The Water Protectors, however, have scored a legal victory as the North Dakota Supreme Court partially granted a petition that will open the door for out-of-state lawyers to represent the more than 600 people who have been arrested amid the ongoing resistance.
