A coalition of environmental groups and NGOs plan a two-day walk in Vermont along the route of an old pipeline for next weekend, along with a demonstration at Burlington’s New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers Conference on July 29.
Organizers expect between 50 to 75 people for the walk next week, which will follow an oil pipeline built in the 1950s through the Northeast Kingdom, starting from West Burke and ending in Irasburg. Walkers will pass through Jay, Troy, Newport, Irasburg, Barton, Sutton, Burke, Victory, Lunenburg and Guildhall.
David Stember, statewide co-ordinator for environmental group 350.org Vermont, says that the walk aims to raise awareness and protest the possible use of the pipeline to transport tar sands oil from Montreal to Portland.
People in the towns are “very much aware of the pipeline,” Stember said, adding “there’s a real level of concern and interest in being involved. People think it’s important.” The campaign centers on the second anniversary of the tar sands oil spill in Michigan’s Kalamazoo river.
Stember expressed concerns about a possible federal permit that major oil companies like Enbridge and TransAmerica would lobby for in the future, reversing oil flows and enabling pipes originally used for crude oil to carry heavier tar sands oil.
Stember expected 300 to 400 people to turn up for the Burlington tar sands action alone, where participants are being asked to dress in black and mimic a “human oil spill.” So far, 112 people have said they’ll join the Burlington demonstration on the event’s Facebook page, while 19 people have indicated they’ll take part in the walk.
Both out-of-state and Canadian participants are expected to take part.
