Byhalia Pipeline protest ahead of city council vote
Pipeline protest comtinue ahead of city council this week By Chris Luther | April 18, 2021 at 9:46 PM CDT - Updated April 18 at 11:38 PM
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Sundayâs protest may have happened in the Boxtown Community that continues to fight against the proposed Byhalia Pipeline, but their message was aimed at City Hall as Memphis City Council Members have another big vote this Tuesday.
After holding numerous rallies and protests for months, the Memphis Community Against The Pipeline again brought dozens of Memphians together Sunday to protest against a 49 mile proposed crude oil pipeline that would go through majority-black neighborhoods and on top parts of the Memphis sand aquifer which provides fresh drinking water to millions.
“No crude oil pipelines built near an earthquake zone atop an aquifer that supplies a predominantly Black community drinking water can be safe,” said Justin J. Pearson, a lead organizer of the Memphis Community Against the Pipeline, or MCAP. “This fast-track permit removes community voices and doesn t protect our most invaluable resource our water from the dangers of this pipeline. It’s time to stop the Byhalia Pipeline and end this environmentally racist pipeline project.”
In his letter, Representative Cohen requested the administration review and reconsider the use of a fast-tracked Nationwide Permit 12 by the Corps for this project, where fast-tracking cuts requirements for public input and allows the pipeline to be placed above the drinking water source of the surrounding communities and the city of Memphis.