Virginia Tech professor who locked herself to equipment to protest pipeline is arrested

A Virginia Tech professor who locked herself to construction equipment to protest the Mountain Valley Pipeline has been removed and arrested.

Emily Satterwhite, 46, has been a vocal opponent of the pipeline project on Brush Mountain in Montgomery County, Virginia, claiming that it will do extensive damage to the environment and local water quality.

The Appalachian studies associate professor tied herself to a piece of equipment 20 feet above the ground on Thursday in hopes of stalling construction and showing her devotion to the protest. 

After more than 14 hours police used cherry pickers to cut Satterwhite free on Thursday night, and she waved as she descended into a cheering group of about 30 fellow protesters.  

Virginia State Police Sgt Rick Garletts said Satterwhite was arrested and will likely be charged with trespassing. 

Emily Satterwite, a Virginia Tech professor who locked herself to construction equipment on Thursday to protest the Mountain Valley Pipeline, has been removed and arrested

The 46-year-old spent more than 14 hours on top of the excavator as law enforcement officials tried to figure out how to get her out of the device locking her to it

Satterwhite, pictured, has long been a vocal opponent of the pipeline project, claiming that it will damage the environment and local water quality

Satterwhite, pictured, has long been a vocal opponent of the pipeline project, claiming that it will damage the environment and local water quality

Satterwhite had climbed to the top of the John Deer excavator early Thursday morning and inserted her forearms into a lockbox device that was secured to the excavator’s hydraulic piston.  

The device, called a sleeping dragon, is a curved piece of pipe in which a protester inserts their arms into each end and then chains their hands together inside. 

It took law enforcement officers all day to figure out how to get her out of her own trap. 

They ultimately mounted two cherry pickers and used saws and grinders to remove the lock box and bring Satterwhite back down as the crowd below erupted into cheers.  

The crowd chanted: ‘Be like Emily. Not like MVP.’  

Police ultimately mounted cherry pickers to reach Satterwhite and remove the device

Satterwhite was escorted to the ground at around 8.30pm

Police ultimately mounted cherry pickers to reach Satterwhite and remove the device before escorting her back to the ground where she was met with cheers from other protesters

Satterwhite is not the first protester to chain herself to equipment or trees along the pipeline’s construction zone in recent months.  

‘I guess it was just my turn to step up,’ Satterwhite told The Roanoke Times on Thursday morning.  

As she sat up on her perch for 14 hours, Satterwhite delivered several speeches about the environmental damage that would be caused by the pipeline and calling out politicians for not stopping its construction.

‘Virginians have tried every way we know how to tell our elected representatives that these fracked gas pipelines are a mistake,’ she said.

‘We may not have lobbyists outside your doors like Dominion does, but we can stop construction to tell you that southwest Virginia does not want the Mountain Valley Pipeline. 

‘MVP is bad for Virginia and bad for the planet. The State Water Control Board and DEQ can stop this pipeline. Governor Northam can stop this pipeline. 

‘Revoke water quality certification now and inspire a new generation of voters. Because if you don’t act to protect our water and our mountains, we will.’  

Satterwhite is pictured sixth from the right alongside other protesters in May

Satterwhite is pictured sixth from the right alongside other protesters in May

The Mountain Valley Pipeline is a joint venture project of Mountain Valley LLC partners and Equitrans LP that was founded in 2014. 

It plans to construct a pipeline that will transport natural gas approximately 303 miles from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia.

Mountain Valley Pipeline released a statement on Friday saying that construction has been temporarily suspended because of erosion concerns.

Since inception of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project, the MVP team has been closely coordinating with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) to ensure appropriate soil erosion and sediment controls were implemented, and restored where necessary, along the pipeline route. 

‘After direct consultation with Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ), and in light of the recent extraordinary rainfall experienced in Virginia, we have agreed to temporarily suspend pipeline installation activities, including welding, trenching, and stringing of pipe, in Virginia,’ the company said. 

‘The MVP project team takes its environmental stewardship responsibilities very seriously and wants to redirect its work efforts to focus exclusively on erosion controls affected by recent weather events. 

‘As the controls are enhanced and restored at given points along the route, MVP will continue to coordinate with VDEQ to resume full pipeline construction activities in those areas.’ 



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