Stop the "Via Verde" Gas Pipeline in Puerto Rico

We oppose Army Corps of Engineers giving a permit to the to the Governor of Puerto Rico to build the "Via Verde" gas-pipeline. The contracts to build it will go to the Governor's friends. The company that will build it wants a tax exception and the People of Puerto Rico would wind up paying for the destruction of their own environment.

Governor Fortuño’s Via Verde Gas Pipeline represents the destruction of 1,500 acres of forests, 800 acres of agricultural land, direct impact to 235 bodies of water, wetlands, ecosystems that produce the majority of Puerto Rico's drinking water, threats to sacred archeological sites of native Taino people, displacement of scores of Puerto Rican families, waste of millions of dollars, as well as putting at risk over 200,000 people.

In Puerto Rico, environmental, professional, labor, student, religious, cultural, political and community groups and grassroots Puerto Rican people are marching to stand for environmental justice, and for the right of the people of Puerto Rico to their land, their water, their culture. We the People say, "No!" to the "Via Verde" gas pipeline.

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[castilian/Spanish]
Nosotros los aqui firmantes de esta peticion demandamos al “Army Corps of Engineers” que le niegue el permiso al Gobernador Fortuno para construir el gasoducto “Via Verde”.

Los contratos son para el beneficio de los amigos del Gobernador. La compania que quiere construir el gasoducto pide que le den excemcion para no pagar impuestos y asi los puertorriquenos terminarian pagando por la propia destruccion de su ambiente.

Ese gasoducto de Fortuno representa la destruccion de 1,500 cuerdas de bosques, 800 cuerdas de tierras agricolas, impactaria 235 cuerpos de agua, humedales, ecosistemas, que producen la mayoria del agua potable que se consume en Puerto Rico, amenaza a los asentamientos sagrados de los amerindios tainos, el desplazamiento de familias puertorriquenas, malgasto de millones de dolares, como tambien pone en riesgo a mas de 200,000 ciudadanos.

En Puerto Rico, grupos de profesionales, ambientalistas, trabajadores, religiosos,politicos, grupos comunitarios, gente y personas del pueblo se estan manifestando por el derecho del pueblo

Puertorriqueno su tierra, su agua y su cultura. Nosotros, el Pueblo, decimos, "No al “Via Verde”, tubo de la muerte.