OPINION:
With the conflict in the Middle East seemingly escalating daily, we are reminded of the importance of reliable and affordable energy.
The potential for volatility in global oil prices has made headlines in recent weeks. But thanks to our world-leading oil and natural gas industry, any economic shock is likely to be softer than it could have been in years past. That’s because the oil and natural gas production boom here at home has led to greater energy security for the United States and the world.
Of course, oil and natural gas prices will continue to fluctuate, but events like those in the Middle East have far less impact than they would have if the United States were not the world’s top energy producer.
Unfortunately, some have made it their mission to undermine energy projects in the U.S. Green activist groups have distanced themselves from the conservationist movement over the past decade by employing increasingly aggressive tactics aimed at the companies, communities and workforce that fuel our economy.
Straight from “How to Blow Up a Pipeline,” the 2021 ecoterrorist manifesto, these groups no longer adhere to peaceful protests to advance their agenda. We need only look to the 2016 North Dakota riots as evidence. It is clear that these protests, which did millions of dollars’ worth of damage, were unlawful and put our national security in harm’s way.
According to a statement released by North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, residents were “living in fear of violence, vandalism and harassment by protesters,” and the distortions of events surrounding the protests spread during the demonstrations harmed “the state’s reputation, tourism and the ability to attract capital and talent to North Dakota.”
Things have not improved since then. Last month, the activist groups Greenpeace and the Sunrise Movement capitalized on a crash in which a car struck a suburban Houston gas pipeline by launching a campaign designed to demean the oil and gas sector and spin the facts around our nation’s pipeline infrastructure.
Across the Atlantic, Shell took its own legal action against Greenpeace last year after activists illegally boarded a moving 72,000-metric-ton sea vessel, endangering the lives of the crew and jeopardizing the global flow of oil and gas.
From vandalizing precious art to pointing lasers at highway patrol jet pilots, activists and their funders have become emboldened to disrupt our lives and the energy sources that power them.
This is not to say that protests should not be tolerated; quite the contrary. Lawful protests have and will always be a cornerstone of our First Amendment rights. Conflating destruction and violence with free speech, however, is dangerous and can have serious implications for the safety and integrity of our nation’s energy infrastructure.
As a reminder, over 60% of our nation’s power comes from conventional energy sources such as oil and natural gas.
This is why the American Energy Alliance has launched a campaign called the Pipeline Protection Project. The initiative seeks to hold green activist groups accountable for their efforts to stop the construction and operation of pipelines and other critical energy sources. In doing so, the initiative will shine a spotlight on the malign tactics these groups employ to carry out their mission.
For our communities, our economy and our national security, we must stand firm in our commitment to protecting our nation’s energy infrastructure and speak out against eco-bullies wherever they turn up.
• Thomas Pyle is president of the American Energy Alliance.
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