Stop Pipelines
Stop Pipelines
We're building a future where communities can breathe clean air, drink clean water, and thrive in a stable climate. To do that, we must stop the expansion of the oil and gas industry -- which relies on pipelines to transport their dirty fossil fuels.
We're fighting back to protect people over profit and build the 100% clean energy future we all deserve.
What are the risks of pipelines?
All fossil fuel pipelines leak. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Many communities have experienced devastating leaks and spills, contaminating drinkable water and polluting our air and leaving communities and ecosystems paying for years afterward. Every new pipeline built also locks us deeper into a fossil-fuel future, making it harder and more expensive to switch to the clean energy we already have access to today.
Methane gas is highly explosive and leaks and safety failures can be very dangerous for people and property. On average, data shows there is a pipeline incident causing a fatality, injury, and/or an unintentional explosion once every five days!
We're Fighting Pipelines Across the Country
Activists speak out against Line 5 prior to a hearing from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. | Photo by Devon Young Cupery
Oil Pipelines
Line 5 runs through the Straits of Mackinac, Michigan – the single worst place for an oil spill to happen in the Great Lakes, putting the drinking water of 40 million people at risk. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is fast-tracking the Line 5 tunnel project as part of Trump's energy "emergency" executive order. Sierra Club will continue to fight to stop Line 5 with ongoing lawsuits and in collaboration with local partners.
Gas Pipelines
Across the Southeast, the gas industry is working to expand its footprint by proposing new projects that connect to the electric grid by feeding gas plants. This expansion of gas to generate power would feed increased demand driven by data centers and gas exports. Communities have come together to push back against the following projects and the risks they pose:
| Project Name | Location | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Southeast Supply Enhancement Project | Virginia and North Carolina | One of the largest proposed gas pipelines in the Southeast in more than a decade. Would expand the Transco network, moving 1.6 billion cubic feet of gas per day through a 42-inch pipe, threatening air and water quality. |
| Mountain Valley Pipeline - Southgate | Chatham, Virginia to Rockingham County, North Carolina | An expansion of the now built and operating Mountain Valley Pipeline, proposed despite strong community opposition spanning over twelve years. A 30-inch pipeline extending 31 miles from Pittsylvania County, VA into Rockingham County, NC. |
| South System Expansion 4 | Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia | A $3 billion series of 14 proposed new gas pipeline loops crossing nearly 280 miles through 26 counties. Owned by subsidiaries of Kinder Morgan and Southern Company. |
| Mississippi Crossing (MSX) | Alabama and Mississippi | A $1.4 billion, 206-mile proposed gas pipeline (36–42 inch diameter) with lateral facilities across 11 counties, owned by Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company and Kinder Morgan. If approved, it would put thousands of people at perpetual risk of explosions or pollution events. |
Gas by the numbers
Make Polluters Pay
How We Can Make Polluters Pay
Together, we must hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for making billions by sacrificing our communities. Take action with us to ensure that big polluters are held accountable!
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