WHAT: Environmental, public interest organizations, shareholders and citizens are holding a press conference outside the EQT annual shareholder meeting to call on the corporation to end the practice of spending corporate funds on elections. Clean Yield Investments has filed an official resolution to be voted on inside the meeting asking the corporation to assess the financial impact of refraining from political spending. EQT Corporation is one of the largest natural gas producers in the country, operating in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia and Kentucky.
EQT and the rest of the fracking industry spend millions on electoral politics at the state and federal level, elevating their interests and making it more difficult for ordinary citizens to have their voices heard. Concurrently, the industry exploits loopholes to pay extremely low taxes, receives thousands of permits to drill on public lands, and is exempted from many basic environmental standards. This coalition of concerned citizens is looking to put an end to the fracking industry's exploitation of our elections and ultimate distortion of our democracy.
SPEAKERS:
Blair Bowie, Democracy Advocate, PennPIRG
Erika Staaf, Clean Water Advocate, PennEnvironment
Ritchie Tabacknick, Board Member, Keystone Progress; EQT Stockholder
Barry Kauffman, Executive Director, Common Cause PA
Eva Resnick-Day, recent graduate, University of Pittsburgh
John Pilecki, retired teacher; One Pittsburgh activist
WHEN: Wednesday, April 17th, 9:00 AM
WHERE: EQT Plaza, on the corner of Liberty between 6th and 7th, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
