Energy Transfer Continues Aggressive Attempts to Silence Opposition: Greenpeace Report

WASHINGTON, DC, October 18, 2018 -- A new Greenpeace USA report “Still Too Far: Energy Transfer Continues to Display Concerning Corporate Behavior” compiles recent evidence that the pipeline company is still aggressively trying to silence opposition to its pipelines across the United States, despite calls from communities, financial institutions, and non-governmental organizations.“Energy Transfer still goes too far in its desperate efforts to silence opposition, trampling on human rights, free speech, and the environment. From leaky pipelines and reckless actions against peaceful demonstrators to a clear disdain for the First Amendment, Energy Transfer hasn’t shown any signs of engaging in meaningful change. The company’s decision to continue with its controversial business as usual should raise an alarm for any remaining financial institutions with ties to the company,” said Greenpeace USA Global Finance Pipeline Lead Diana Best.The report complements another Greenpeace USA publication released in June this year, to include significant developments that took place over the summer. “Still Too Far” comes as Energy Transfer Partners is merging with Energy Transfer Equity, during a special meeting of unit holders in Dallas today. Indigenous groups will hold a rally outside the venue to call attention to the company’s egregious human rights and environmental record. Inside the meeting, grassroots leaders from Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Standing Rock, North Dakota will bring grievances directly to executives, directors, and unit holders.In the summer of 2018, individuals opposing Energy Transfer’s Bayou Bridge pipeline reported multiple accounts of physical threats and violence from employees, contractors, and/or private security working for the pipeline company. One of the incidents involves an armed man who claimed to be an Energy Transfer contractor and pointed a gun at the demonstrators, ultimately using the butt of the shotgun to physically assault an activist.Regarding safety and environmental performance, Energy Transfer has reported 15 hazardous liquids incidents that caused a reported $8.4 million in property damage throughout 2018. In another example, Pennsylvania state regulators have fined the company over $13.1 million for violating state environmental and safety laws during Mariner East 2 construction.Energy Transfer also doubled down on its baseless litigation against Greenpeace and others by using an Amended Complaint to try to broaden the scope of accusations to include unrelated events and add individuals as defendants. The Amended Complaint was filed even after a strong-worded court order that requested the company to make ‘simple, concise and direct’ accusations.Media contactRodrigo Estrada, rodrigo.estrada@greenpeace.org, 202-344-9292Watch the livestream here:[embed]https://www.facebook.com/Indigenousrisingmedia/videos/2177925589196558/[/embed]