The Spectator The independent student newspaper of Valdosta State University
Written By: Brittney Penland
Protestors gathered on Oct. 31 at the corner of Park Avenue and Patterson Street to argue against the building of the Sabal Trail gas pipeline.
The protesters were associated with VSU’s Students Against Violating the Environment and Wiregrass Activists for Clean Energy. The costumes they were dressed in for Halloween attracted honking and “thumbs up’s” from those driving by.
The protest featured Dr. Micheal Noll, physics, astronomy, and geosciences professor, wearing a Guy Fauxe mask.
The pipeline, scheduled to be in service May 2017, will run 196 miles through Georgia, expanding Florida’s access to sources of natural gas throughout the US.
Natural gas pipelines decrease property value, cause landowners to lose the right to plant deep-rooted trees and increase taxes.
144 natural gas pipeline accidents have occurred in the US since 2010.
Thank you very much for covering this protest on an issue which is very important to the Valdosta community as well as to students who are aware of environmental hazards and contamination. I believe the mask that Dr. Noll was wearing probably represented “Guy Fawkes,” the English rebel.