Dozens Arrested in Anti-Coal, Keystone "Summer Heat" Protests

Dozens Arrested in Anti-Coal, Keystone "Summer Heat" Protests

Dozens of people were detained over the weekend as part of the "Summer Heat" direct action campaign for environmental justice. At least 44 people were arrested on Sunday in a march on the Brayton Point coal plant in Somerset, Massachusetts. It’s one of several coal plants targeted by calls for closure and a transition to cleaner sources of energy. On Friday, 54 people were arrested after blockading the offices of the State Department contractor involved in assessing the environmental impact of the Keystone XL pipeline. The firm Environmental Resources Management, ERM, has come under scrutiny following the recent news it failed to disclose financial ties to the tar sands industry in Canada. In a statement, the group 350.org said the action was taken "to expose ERM’s corruption and conflicts of interest in having contractual relationships with Big Oil."