Tennesseans Speak Out Against Ridgeline Pipeline

Cookeville, TN - Sierra Club members and Tennessee community members spoke at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's hearing on the Ridgeline Expansion Project, and urged the department to deny the project's request for an Aquatic Resource Alteration Permit.

The project, owned by Enbridge, would span 122 miles across the Tennessee Valley and threaten hundreds of waterways in the region to deliver methane gas to the Kingston Gas Plant. Enbridge faced criminal chargesfor destroying waterways during its construction of another pipeline in Minnesota.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation can halt construction of the Ridgeline pipeline and prevent damage to the environment by denying Enbridge's request for an ARAP.

In response, Sierra Club Organizing Strategist Bonnie Swinford issued the following statement:

"For generations, Tennesseans have cherished our creeks, rivers, and other waterways. This pipeline threatens our environment, our wildlife, and our rights to access clean water.

"Now, Enbridge-a billion-dollar corporate giant-wants to come into our home state, recklessly bulldoze through our beautiful landscapes, and upend our lives in the name of building more dirty, expensive gas plants. Today, we are making it clear that Tennessee belongs to its people-not to Big Oil and Gas, and we will fight to protect our beloved home."

The Sierra Club has collected nearly 500 comments from communities members, including:

"As a lifelong Tennessean and having lived at each end of the state I'm tired of seeing our rural landscape desecrated by projects such as this ridge line pipeline. Our waterways are too important to everyone and to put them at risk is irresponsible especially when there are alternatives. Please deny Enbridge the permits they are seeking." - Tom G., Kingsport

"Tennessee is a beautiful state with natural strengths and agricultural resources that are important to all Tennesseans. Please don't jeopardize these valuable riches when cleaner, more sensible alternatives are available." - Bill A., Fayetteville

"We must protect our waterways, our property rights, and our health. Knoxville citizens are not asking for this pipeline. We are asking for clean, renewable energy sources that bring jobs to the local economy." - Maya L., Knoxville

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.