Virginia pipeline company asks county to remove 2 protesters

ELLISTON, Va. – Attorneys for a company constructing a controversial natural gas pipeline through Virginia are asking a county judge to remove tree-sitters that are blocking work on the project. A federal court denied a similar request last week.

The Roanoke Times reports Mountain Valley filed a request Tuesday in Montgomery County Circuit Court for a temporary injunction to have the two protesters removed from trees they’ve occupied for nearly a year.

Mountain Valley asked the judge to order the tree-sitters to come down, and if they refuse, to have authorities remove them.

A U.S. District Court judge blocked a similar request Friday, saying the company had improperly targeted the protesters as part of an eminent domain case used to take private land for the pipeline.

A hearing is scheduled for Aug. 15.