Tree-sitters have been protesting pipeline for 200-plus days

ROANOKE, Va. – Tree-sitters protesting the construction of a natural gas pipeline in Virginia have been at it now for more than 200 days.

The Roanoke Times reported Thursday that two people have continually occupied tree stands since early September. They’re sitting where construction is planned for the Mountain Valley Pipeline in western Virginia near the West Virginia border.

The tree-sitting protesters replace each other over time. A group that has helped organize the effort is Appalachians Against Pipelines. It says the protest is now the longest active blockade of a natural gas pipeline on the East Coast.

Attorneys for the pipeline have filed requests in federal court to be able to remove the protesters. A federal judge is yet to rule on the request.

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Information from: The Roanoke Times, http://www.roanoke.com