Author: earthfirst

Arizona Forest Service Roads Spiked

sharp rebar in road_1405470850242_6845830_ver1.0_640_480

sharp rebar in road_1405470850242_6845830_ver1.0_640_480

July 23rd, 2014  Flagstaff authorities are seeking the public’s help to gather any information related to sharpened rebar that was placed in the Happy Jack area.

Forest Service law enforcement say that at least five pieces of the rebar was placed on forest roads that are frequented by off-highway vehicles.

The sharp pieces are responsible for slashing at least eight tires last weekend, according to authorities.

“The end of the rebar has been flattened and sharpened to a point and the exposed point has been painted to blend in with the road surface,” Linda Wadleigh, Mogollon Rim District Ranger, said. She added that the objects pose a threat to people hiking and walking and to wildlife in the area.

[EF! Journal editor's note: For more information on road spiking – Ecodefense: A Field Guide]

GOYdz5r

rebar in roads_1405470847636_6845828_ver1.0_640_480

 

Catalonia: Wave of Sabotage Against High Tension Lines

images.duckduckgo.com

images.duckduckgo.com

July 18th, 2014 – In light of the news of the moving forward of the Very High Tension Line (la línea de muy alta tensión or MAT), we want to make public:

On Tuesday, July 1st, an all-terrain vehicle in the service of Tensalm, a company subcontracted by the Spain Electrical Network (REE), was burned, destroyed by the flames in the night within a  Sarrià de Ter hotel in the Girona province.

We claim all the actions detailed below, a year after we began our work. All the actions have been systematically silenced by the communication media and for this reason we want to make public that, in denial of the lastest news from the daily El Punt, we have caused months of delay to the work and thousands of euros of damages and losses to REE.

At the margin of the assemblies and collectives that have carried out a struggle against the construction of the MAT, a multitude of activists from the region and foreigners, we have carried out a fight based on direct action.

We vindicate sabotage as a fundamental part of the fight against the imposition, the infrastructure that sustains the system, and all the social, laboral and economic mechanisms of capitalism.

The whole world is capable of carrying out sabotage, a tool that has belonged to the oppressed class for a long time. It can be as simple as unscrewing the bolts of any tower, and we encourage everyone who is against to act in the way they see as most fitting.

We publish this list of actions in order to incite sabotage, to give ideas, and to bring to light what they didn’t want to be known.

June 2013:
– 2 excavators sabotaged
-All-terrain vehicle of the ROTELLA company has tires slashed and radiators broken.
– Removal of stakes marking the towers.

August 2013:
– 2 excavators sabotaged
– 1 excavator destroyed
– Blocking of the trails with barricades

September – November 2013:
– 5 excavators and machines sabotaged
– 12 all-terrain vehicles of GAROC and ROTELLA companies sabotaged
– Blocking of trails with barricades and spikes

December 2013:
– Attack on the representatives of REE and their cars

January 2014:
– Attacks on GAROC excavators

February – April 2014:
– Guide cords for running cables repeatedly cut
– Multiple unboltings of the bases of the MAT towers
– Attack on the security guards of EULEN company, and broken windows.

May 2014:
– Cords cut
– Destruction of 2 generators
– 2 all-terrain vehicles of REE sabotaged
– Sabotage of support structures
– Several unboltings of the towers

June – July 2014:
– All-terrain vehicles sabotaged and burned!

This is an incomplete list since it is impossible to know all the actions that have been carried out, or who has done them. The bolts will be sent to the press, in order to put pressure for the publication of this manifesto.

No MAT, no TAV, no nuclear and no to the system that sustains them!

More information about resistance to the MAT can be found at

http://torresmasaltashancaido.espivblogs.net/ingles/

 

from contrainfo, translated by waronsociety

Workers evicted in protest against tar sands, USA

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July 17th, 2014 – from Swamp Line 9

Individuals from Six Nations and their allies have interrupted work on a section of Enbridge’s Line 9 pipeline. The work stoppage began around 10am this morning. Individuals involved asked workers to leave, asserting that the land is Haudenosaunee territory guaranteed under the Haldimand deed, and that Enbridge’s workers were present without consent or consultation.

“Meaningful consultation isn’t just providing information and going ahead without discussion – it’s giving the opportunity to say no and having a willingness to accommodate.” says Missy Elliot.

“Enbridge left a voice message on a machine with one person. That’s not meaningful – it’s not even consultation.” Emilie Corbeau, there in support of Six Nations points out.

Those involved intend to host an action camp, filling the time with teach-ins about Six Nations history, indigenous solidarity and skill shares centering on direct action.

The group states that they’ve tried the other processes available to them and here out of necessity. “We’ve tried pursuing avenues with the NEB, the township and the Grand River Conservation Authority. Our concerns were dismissed. What other choice do we have if we want to protect our land, water and children?” Missy Elliot of Six Nations asks.

Under bill C-45 the section of the Grand River adjacent to the Enbridge work site and pipeline is no longer protected. Approximately half a million people rely on drinking water provided by the Grand River.

“This isn’t just about line 9 – or Northern Gateway, Energy East or Keystone XL. This is about pipelines – all of them.” Daniell Boissineau, of Turtle Clan, asserts. “This is about the tarsands and how destructive they are to expand, extract and transport.”

“This is a continental concern. It’s not just a Six Nations issue or an indigenous issue. We share the responsibility to protect our land and water as human beings.” Elliot states.

Italy—More Arrests in the Struggle Against the TAV

NO_TAV_logo

NO_TAV_logo

This morning (11th July) three anarchist comrades were arrested between Milan and Lecce, and another one was raided.

The three are accused of taking part in the attack on the yard in Chiomonte in the night between 13th and 14th May 2013, the same episode following which Chiara, Mattia, Claudio and Niccolò were jailed in December 2013.

We don’t know much about the charges yet. In the press we read: damage, arson, violence on public official, possession and fabrication of explosive devices. Therefore it seems that prosecutors from Turin have been forced to rule out the charge of terrorism, following a previous sentence from the court of cassation that cancelled this charge in Chiara, Mattia, Claudio and Niccolò’s case.

from informa-azione.info / translated by Act for Freedom Now

Germany’s Hambach Forest Occupation Calls for Solidarity and Support

Campaign_Poster_(CURRENT_NEW)+Greetings and Salutations from the Hambacher Forest Occupatio

Campaign_Poster_(CURRENT_NEW)+Greetings and Salutations from the Hambacher Forest Occupation!

We are presently blocking the expansion of the largest opencast lignite mine in Western Europe with tree sits and barricades through out the Hambacher Forest. After the last eviction on March 27th 2014 we re-occupied the forest, this time, building up two tree sits with multiple platforms, tree-houses, walk ways in between and barricades .

At present we are facing regular intrusion of repressive law enforcement destroying our structures on the ground and have already faced two largescale evictions using tactical teams costing millions of euros while at the same time, the German government, is cutting sustainable energy subsidies. Instead choosing to compensate for the shut down of nuclear power plants with support to the extremely polluting and ecologically catastrophic coal industry (in our case RWE power company which is engaging in massive green washing PR campaigns).

We would like to send you updates and inform you of the upcoming Climate Camp and Skill-shares Gathering (July 26th to August 3rd 2014) happening in our vicinity which we are also helping to organize. We also have a support camp with legal status at the edge of the forest functioning as a de facto activist eco village with a vegan kitchen, guest
caravans, straw bail structures, gardens and many other on-going sustainable projects, to which we would like to invite all of you who may find yourselves in our neck of the woods.

As of recently, we have also built an info-shop/library for which we would like to appeal for any extra literature that you would be willing to share with us. We could cover the costs of shipment and if possible discount rates of literature itself not to mention we would be extremely interested and gratefull if you would be willing to share any back issues or extra literature. If this is a possibility please also respond with your preferable snail-mail address, as we would like to share some of our material with you as well.

We have a support centre in Duren, which is unfortunately undergoing a bit of transition at the moment. For the time being the literature for our Meadow Base Camp info-shop and the Climate Camp could be sent, care of one of our supporters:

Frau Annika Lindberg
Rohrbachstr. 37
60389 Frankfurt am Main
Germany

If you would be interested in updates from the forest please include your PGP key in the correspondence.

There is a sense of urgency as even though the forest has been occupied for two years now there is a new autobahn ready for opening in September bypassing the one separating the last remnant of the forest from the mine allowing the mine to expand and logging and strip mining to commence on the last remnant of the forest. We expect that to be the time of mass police actions. For that reason it is mega important to both get the word out and keep people involved, inspired and on track of the importance and the context of the struggle.

Blockade Halts Logging in Mattole Forest, US

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20140708_172403_Pano

The tripod is visible on the logging road to the left of the photo

July 9th, 2014  A blockade was deployed on a logging road in the Mattole forest yesterday morning, preventing the extraction of over 1,000 acres.of old-growth forest

There has been communication between the company and the blockaders, but efforts to remove the technically complicated monopod-tripod complex had not been made as of last contact with the forest defense team.

This marks the second action in as many weeks. Last week a tree sitter going by the name Skunk climbed into the canopy, insisting, “Our main demands to Humboldt Redwood Company are very simple—don’t cut unlogged forest, and don’t cut old-growth. This road threatens to destroy forest that has never been logged before, and will pave the way for logging even more important habitat if the community does not rise up to stop it.”

The Mattole forest is host to several species of old growth trees, and endangered species like the Spotted Owl and Golden Eagle.

The Mattole river system has also been the site of heroic salmon restoration efforts in Northern California, as documented by the book Totem Salmon by Freeman House.

This area has been the site of successful forest defense campaigns since the Timber Wars in the early 1990s, and Earth First! continues to maintain a vigilant presence.

 

Update: Help Needed!

The blockade in the Mattole continues amidst pressure from local law enforcement and logging company representatives. The blockade was deployed on a logging road in the Mattole forest yesterday morning, preventing the extraction of over 1,000 acres of old-growth forest in Southern Humboldt.

This morning, 4 Sheriffs and HRC company execs showed up to the road blockade. They threatened to reanchor the lines of the tripod blockade, putting the sitter at risk. We have confirmed they have arrested and released one person, but that the blockade of old growth logging remains. The cops have said that they will return tonight with dogs.

This blockade marks the second action this month. Last week a tree sitter going by the name Skunk climbed into the canopy, insisting, “Our main demands to Humboldt Redwood Company are very simple—don’t cut unlogged forest, and don’t cut old-growth. This road threatens to destroy forest that has never been logged before, and will pave the way for logging even more important habitat if the community does not rise up to stop it.”

The blockade could use more support! Please contact savemattolesancientforest@gmail.com if you want to volunteer with the campaign or donate money and materials. More updates to come on saveancientforest.org.

Activists Shut Down Seneca Biomass Plant in Eugene, USA

Three earth defenders have been taken into custody for this morning’s action at the Seneca Biomass burner in Eugene, Oregon. We will need funds to assist with bail and legal defense.

Three earth defenders have been taken into custody for this morning’s action at the Seneca Biomass burner in Eugene, Oregon. We will need funds to assist with bail and legal defense. Click here for donation page.

View more pictures of the action here.

CFD17

July 7th, 2014 EUGENE—Scores of activists with Cascadia Forest Defenders and Earth First! converged on the Seneca Jones biomass plant this morning to protest the company’s privatization of public lands in the Elliott State Forest and ongoing pollution in West Eugene.

Currently several people have locked themselves to equipment at the plant, effectively blocking the “truck dump” where biomass is loaded into the incinerator. A banner has been dropped off of a tower reading: “Seneca Jones: Privatizing the coast range, polluting West Eugene.”

The activists are bringing attention to Seneca Jones Timber’s role in privatizing the Elliott State Forest. This month Seneca closed on their purchase of 788 acres in the Elliott, called East Hakki Ridge. Co-owner of Seneca Kathy Jones recently expressed the company’s intention to clearcut East Hakki and replace it with Douglas fir plantation.

Cascadia Forest Defender Richard Haley commented, “However Kathy Jones paints it, her company is a bad neighbor everywhere it operates. Here in Eugene, Seneca pollutes. In the Elliott, Seneca clearcuts and puts up ‘no trespassing’ signs in pristine, never before logged forest. East Hakki is no longer a place where locals can go hunt, fish, hike, camp or watch birds. Now it is corporate property.”

Coos Bay citizen science group Coast Range Forest Watch documented Marbled Murrelet nesting behavior in East Hakki Ridge in May. The bird is federally protected under the Endangered Species Act, which prohibits actions that injure or kill threatened species–including destruction of habitat. A month after Marbled Murrelets were found in East Hakki, conservation law organizations filed to sue Seneca Jones in the event of logging in the timber sale. Murrelets were also found in two timber sales purchased by timber company Roseburg Forest Products. Another parcel is up for sale this fall, and the State Land Board is considering privatizing the entire forest.

 

Conveyor BeltDespite Seneca’s claim of being sustainable, the biomass plant failed its first EPA air pollution test in 2011 but still requested more state funds to offset its production costs. In spite of its high impact on local air quality, Seneca receives 10 million dollars in tax credits from the state of Oregon under the Business Energy Tax Credit Program.

“The plant has had a bad reputation in this community since its opening,” said West Eugene resident Matthew Hawks. “It’s marketing itself as a ‘green’ solution in my neighborhood, but is actually harming the environment around us, especially the air we breathe.”

The plant, which only employs 11 people, releases an estimated 17,900 pounds of air toxins into West Eugene Neighborhoods annually, in addition to the 73,000 pounds released each year from the mill itself. There are three schools within three miles of the Seneca biomass facility.

“While clearcutting and privatization in the Elliott State Forest is done in the name of public schools, this irresponsible company is taking millions of public dollars and impacting the health and safety of school children in their own neighborhood. It feels really twisted,” said Cascadia Forest Defender Cordelia Finley.

The Eugene-based Cascadia Forest Defenders carried out this action with activists from across the continent following an annual Earth First! camp-out in the woods of Southern Oregon, called the Earth First! Round River Rendezvous.

Banner reading: "Seneca Jones: Privatizing the Coast Lands, Polluting West Eugene" dropped at Seneca biomass facility in Eugene, OR.

Akwa Ibom Youths Barricade Exxon Oil Terminal

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July 7th, 2014

Operations of Exxon Mobil, a multinational firm has been shut down by protesting youths from the host communities in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria following what they described as recurrent oil spills and strings of unfulfilled promises made to the communities.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the angry youths who barricaded the main entrances to ExxonMobil’s Quo Iboe Terminal (QIT) said they will never leave the area until the company commences proper remediation on the environment and fulfil promises it made after past oil spills.

The Secretary of Youth Presidents Forum and President of Iwuokpom community youth where ExxonMobil jetty is located, Mr. David Okon noted that the protest was sparked off following the most recent spill which occurred on Thursday when thunder struck the QIT tank farm and one of the crude oil-laden tanks went up in flames.

According to, Okon several hundred barrels of crude spilled over Mkpanak community and into 26 other communities in the area, spanning over 35 kilometers.

He said, “Our grievance is that since last year, there was an oil spill at the QIT that flowed from Inuaeyet Ikot village to Okposo, about 35 kilometers along the coastline towards Mbo local government area. Since then, Mobil has refused to clean up our environment. They issued and acknowledgement letter to indicate that their tank busted.

“Mobil knows the impact of oil spill and the damage it has done to aquatic life and the water table and the entire environment. When a major spill occurred last December, they promised to provide relief materials to our people and also pay compensation. Up till now, they have not done anything in that regard. Last week, two of the tanks got burnt and crude flowed into our communities.”

Okon lamented that, while a walk along the shoreline would show dead fishes scattered all over the area, it was becoming so difficult a task for the people to fish.

“People are hungry and angry and that is why we have come here to draw the attention of the world to what Exxon Mobil has been doing to our communities”, he added.

Corroborating Okon’s position on the matter, a community leader in Ibenno, Chief Williams Mkpa who admitted that the people of the area have scores to settle with ExxonMobil over cases of oil spillage lamented that the economic mainstay of people of the area has been greatly affected by the spill.

He said, “When similar incidents happen, the community usually agitates for cleanup and adequate compensation.

But in its usual way, ExxonMobil has refused to respond to those requests because they don’t have the interest of the people at heart. In the past 44 years of their operations, the company only compensated us in 1998 when they declared 55 barrel spill and paid N350 million to our communities”.

He noted that because they were aware of the effects of gas flaring to the immediate environment, staff of ExxonMobil do not live in Ibeno communities, as the oil firm chose to locate its housing estate in Eket, about 20 kilometers away.

Mkpa said the intervention of the state Governor, Godswill Akpabio did not yield any positive result in the matter, as the company has deliberately refused to respect the agreement brokered by the government since 2012.

Mkpa further chided those opposed to resource control, saying that if Ibeno people had a say in how ExxonMobil is being operated, some of the damaging impacts of their operations could have been mitigated.

He, therefore, appealed to the National Conference and the National Assembly to take urgent steps to ensure that oil producing areas in the country were given a stake in oil exploration and production.

Mr. Mkpa also lamented that over 95 percent of staff in ExxonMobil are from other parts of the country and challenged the company to publish the list of its top management staff toshow how many people from the host communities it has engaged.

On its part, ExxonMobil explained that Mobil Producing Nigeria unlimted, operator of the NNPC/MPN joint venture said it has activated our emergency response systems and contained the release, with all relevant regulatory authorities and community leaders notified.

The company’s spokesperson, Akaninyene Esiere in an email stated: “MPN remains committed to environmentally safe operations. Subject to a detailed site inspection, our current estimate is that approximately 12 barrels of oil was released during the incident. All relevant regulatory authorities and community leaders have been notified.

“We are working with community leaders to gain access to the impacted area and continue to work to ensure the impacted area is remediated. Offshore production and loading operations are continuing.”

 

Massive convoys of test frack equipment arrive at West Newton

3rd July

3rd July

Rathlin Energy yesterday, Wed 2nd July, brought massive convoys of equipment on to the West Newton test frack site near Withernwick.

 
This is in flagrant breach of 2 key Planning Conditions- they need to give 2 week's written notice before activities on site (Condition 2) and there must be no convoys of vehicles, with at least 10 minutes between vehicles. (In the Traffic Plan referred to in Condition 7)

There were multiple large convoys, totalling 64 vehicles. The well pad was extremely crowded with vehicles and equipment.

There was a very heavy police presence with numerous vans and riot vans, around a hundred police through the villages of New Ellerby, Marton and West Newton.
High Fosham road was closed to pedestrians and traffic.

West Newton has had anti fracking Protectors camping at the site since May 9th. There is another camp at Rathlin's other well site in East Yorkshire, Crawberry Hill.

Louise Castro, a protector camping at the site said, "It's chaos and mayhem here- local villagers were forced to trail across the fields just to see what was going on, and were devastated- some burst in to tears when the scale of it hit home. Rathlin have ridden roughshod over the traffic plan worked worked out with the villagers."

Ian Crane, a former oil executive also living at the anti fracking camps said, "Today the locals got a taste of what is to come on a daily basis if the unconventional oil and gas industry is allowed to go ahead with fracking in this area".

Pauline Hakeny, a resident of nearby Skirlaugh said, "I'm really shocked at the amount of vehicles- they promised us this would never happen- and also the amount of police- there were loads of vans and officers in all the surrounding villages."

Grapes of Rathlin

3rd July from SccNEWS Convoys of trucks carrying equipment descended on West Newton yesterday, where Rathlin Energy are commencing their exploratory

3rd July from SccNEWS Convoys of trucks carrying equipment descended on West Newton yesterday, where Rathlin Energy are commencing their exploratory fracking drilling. As the first major activity at the East Yorkshire site kicked off, a handful of protesters and many more anxious locals could only watch in horror as the fracking trucks made their way along the long single track lane towards the well.

The convoys were protected by hundreds of police and riot vans, while local residents were blocked from accessing their own homes and one elderly resident burst into tears at the scale of what was happening.

West Newton is one of two locations in East Yorkshire that Rathlin are attempting to frack. At both West Newton and Crawberry Hill, Rathlin have had planning permission for exploratory drilling since 2012. Earlier this year they also got Environment Agency permits that last until September, in the case of Crawberry Hill, and longer in the case of West Newton. “We knew they were due to do the tests at either site at any time”, says our source from campaign group HEY Frack Off.

Small protests camps were set up at both locations in May. Crawberry was the larger, with number averaging at 20: Not only was it looking likelier that Rathlin would hit there first as the permits ran out sooner, but it's nearer urban centres like Beverley and Hull. Crucially, it is in the area of the massive underground aquifer that is relied on for drinking water for much of the population of Hull and East Yorkshire: “If that were to be contaminated it would be an absolute catastrophe”. So far, Crawberry Hill has yet to see any significant activity.

Over at West Newton, the protection camp has been tiny but doggedly persistent. The villagers in the very rural area have been slow on the uptake but now seem to be waking up to what's about to happen on their doorsteps. At first, they'd been bizarrely anxious about the camp and upset about the protesters' presence, rather than their villages surrounding a hellmouth of the environmental armageddon.

“It's an unbelievably conservative area. Some people didn't even want to contact HEY Frack Off because of our 'controversial' name!”, says our contact. “Most of the local residents have swallowed Rathlin's line and their PR hook, line and sinker.”

But recent well-attended public meetings, and individual conversations, have shown awareness is slowly starting to sink in. Maybe the locals are slowly starting to organise?

Just to show how much they respect the local residents, when the convoys came onto site at West Newton yesterday, they “ran roughshod” over the planning conditions that had been agreed between the local council (East Riding of Yorkshire) and Rathlin Energy to sweeten the fracking pill for local residents.

Firstly, they failed to give the stipulated 14 days notice before any activity commenced. Sneaky, but not surprising given the momentum the anti-fracking movement's been gaining. Secondly, they spectacularly flouted the traffic management plan which promised local residents no more than one truck every ten minutes. Yesterday saw two massive convoys of lorries – around 65 vehicles entering the site. Needless to say, the well pad was crowded.

In terms of policing, our contact reports: “Police have said they have learned from the mistakes of Barton Moss and Balcombe where they allowed peaceful protest in the form of slow walking in front of vehicles down public highways. It's been made quite clear in East Yorkshire that anyone who gets in the way of a vehicle on the public highway will be arrested immediately.”

Police have even admitted to campaigners that it's a “game of numbers”, and that if there were as many protesters as police they'd have to review their tactics.

The location of the West Newton site is so rural that keeping up communications – from simple phone calls to live streaming – is difficult. The campaign is encouraging any potential protectors to get in touch. The camp phone number is 07773739937.