Join the blockade of climate denying coal baron Joe Manchin

*Update April 7* More than 300 people have RSVP’d to join us in West Virginia to blockade Joe Manchin’s dirty coal plant. And tonight, there’s an online rally for folks fighting (and supporting those fighting) the Mountain Valley Pipeline, another fossil fueled monstrosity that Joe Manchin loves more than the people and places of West Virginia.

Here are two urgent actions you can take tonight and tomorrow to get ready, set and join us to shut down fossil fuels in West Virginia, and take the fight to Joe Manchin’s back yard:

1. Join the POWHR rally tonight at 7pm ET (or rsvp to get the call recording and all the useful follow up info!)
2. If you haven’t already, RSVP for the Coal Baron Blockade this Saturday, April 9!
   1. And if you already have, and still need help getting there, check out our new ride-share board. There are dozens of car and van-pools leaving from all over the Northeast and mid-Atlantic starting Friday April 8 – Find yours!

The New York Times and other outlets have exposed in devastating detail how Joe Manchin is blocking climate legislation in order to protect his corrupt coal company.

At the same time he poisons the air and extorts the rate-payers of West Virginia, he’s blocking urgently needed action on climate change. To add insult to injury, he’s convinced President Biden to help him prop up the fossil fuel industry, instead of making the ungently-needed transition to clean energy.

It’s an outrage. And if President Biden and elected Democrats in the Senate don’t have the courage to stand up to Manchin, then we must.

That’s why on April 9th we will converge en masse on Manchin’s coal operation and engage in a massive act of civil resistance. Will you join us?

Manchin is the single biggest threat in America to climate justice and a livable future. And, infuriatingly, elected Democrats keep rewarding him for it.

If we want to have a chance of passing climate and energy legislation that makes a safe and stable climate possible for our future, we have to weaken Manchin’s position. We have to non-violently find a way to reduce his money, power, and influence.

Shutting down the coal plant that directly pays Manchin and his family half a million dollars a year is one solution. Making it clear that we’re willing to stand with West Virginian’s who are pleading for their health and the future of their communities to stop Manchin is another. And symbolically taking the fight to Manchin, so that everyone can see the struggle clearly – you’re with the people and the planet, or you’re with Manchin and his fossil fueled fascists destroying our future is a third.

Sitting it out or cursing Manchin from home is not a solution. And waiting for Biden and other Democrats to act is a life-sentence without the chance of parole. That’s why we’re asking you to come to West Virginia and take action with us.

We know it’s a big ask. We know it’s a long trip. But with the public reporting on Manchin’s corruption and the big potential shifts in US energy and climate policy being debated right now as a result of the war in Ukraine, this is the moment to take action. If we miss it, it could be another generation until we get another chance like this.

All the info about how to sign up, where to stay, and how to get there is at westvirginiarising.org. If you need more details or help on how to plan your trip, consider joining one of these two public briefing calls:

• For folks traveling to WV for the April 9 Coal Baron blockade join this zoom Sunday, April 3 at 7:30 ET
• For folks from the DC metro area, join Shut Down DC on Monday, April 4 at 07:00 ET to hear more about local ride shares to the coal baron blockade, and a whole range of actions happening all April in DC.