Major Moves from Students At Temple and Penn

“This fall, with support from the Earth Quaker Action Team, who started their own campaign against PNC, Penn and Temple engaged their communities in discussion and activism on the issue. Their work appeared to culminate this past Monday, when the Penn Community Against Mountaintop Removal and their counterpart at Temple individually met with PNC executives in hopes of convincing them to abandon their destructive investment.” ~ Grid Magazine Philadelphia

“PNC is aware that being green is marketable to our generation, and they advertise themselves as such,” Pallavi Podapati, Penn Community Against MTR member and College junior, said. “But for them to finance a form of coal extraction that blows up mountains, displaces communities and poisons the environment is not green.” ~ The Daily Pennsylvanian, UPenn

“We’re talking about stopping investment in something that is heightening health risks,” said Murphy. “That is endangering the lives of children in schools that have to attend schools underneath toxic sludge reservoirs … and also heightened risk of asthma, increased birth defects.” ~Newsworks.com, WHYY

“PNC representative Fred Solomon said bank officials had the chance to hear varying opinions in a meeting he called productive. “

“Soon there will be 35 other schools standing with us,” Trimmer said.”

The Earth Quaker Action Team is so honored and humbled to be working alongside the incredible students active at Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, UPenn, and Temple in our campaign to help PNC bank realize the promise of a clean energy future for Appalachia. In particular this month, the campaigns at Temple and Penn have taken off, resulting in visits from PNC leadership to the two campuses to discuss investment policy around mountaintop removal. Each pursuing the issue in their own way, Penn and Temple are making the crisis in Appalachia visible here at home, and breaking through into the press and the mainstream – and they have plans to expand.

Our student allies (all honorary Earth Quakers of course) are a powerful and energizing partner in this work, and they have been putting the bank on NOTICE – challenging their critical student recruitment and university relationships. As we move closer to the day when PNC Bank leaves the dying, corrupt coal industry behind, we are going to be walking toward that victory arm in arm with student leaders who share our passion and calling.

Click the links below for news coverage of the meetings:

The Daily Penn

Newsworks

Grid Philadelphia

We Raised Up Windmills In PNC; 5 Arrests Over Green Jobs

Support for those in jail is ongoing! Keep Earth Quakers Karen Leitner, Vint Deming, Carolyn McCoy, Lee Reinert, and Gail Newbold in your thoughts as we wait for their release!

More updates coming soon + pics + video!

PHILADELPHIA – Five members of the Earth Quaker Action Team, ranging in age from 20 to 78, were arrested today inside PNC Bank’s Regional Headquarters, at 1600 Market St., during a “sit-in” to call attention to the Bank’s $500 million dollar investments in mountaintop removal: a coal mining practice that has lead to vanishing jobs and thousands of Clean Water Act violations.

“PNC claims they invest in mountaintop removal because of the jobs it provides, but research shows that mountaintop removal provides far fewer long-term jobs than wind power,” said Amy Ward Brimmer of EQAT. “On top of the environmental impacts, mountaintop removal has caused a steady decrease in mining jobs since the practice began, trapping some of the poorest people in America on toxic land without hope of employment.”

Activists cited research from Downstream Strategies, whose case-study analysis of Raleigh County, W.V. demonstrated that wind development on Coal River Mountain would provide 28% more long-term jobs than a 6,000 acre mountaintop removal site in the same location, as well as over 50 times the annual tax revenue.  

Quakers, numbering 25 inside the bank, raised two 8′ tall windmills to highlight the opportunity costs of PNC’s policies, asking Regional President Bill Mills to come speak to the discrepancies between PNC’s stated “Green” values and their investment strategy, although the bank declined the invitation. In light of the Quaker community’s historic relationship with PNC Bank, 5 Earth Quakers pledged to remain beside the windmills until the President came to the lobby; instead, Earth Quakers Karen Leitner, Vint Deming, Carolyn McCoy, Lee Reinert, and Gail Newbold were escorted out peacefully and taken to the 21st and Hamilton police precinct.

“PNC has a choice to make about what future they want to invest in,” said Ingrid Lakey, Director of the Earth Quaker Action Team. “You can’t build windmills if you blow up the mountains. Instead of being a leading financier of mountaintop removal, PNC could be a leader in the clean energy economy. But it’s up to them.”

3 Brave Temple Students Arrested During Sit-In At Campus PNC

“They’re pretty much denying the students’ voice and our right to be here,” said Melanie Rafoss, an anthropology and political science major. “That’s why we’re out here today protesting and taking direct action, because they’re giving us no other choice.”

Yesterday,3 students from Temple University were arrested holding a nonviolent sit-in at their campus PNC Bank branch. That same day, the University Investment Committee was scheduled to meet and discuss Temple’s financial and ethical relationship to PNC Bank – but Temple students were denied the chance to speak or be present at the meeting.

PNC is paid to provide Temple’s on-campus banking services, and in fact PNC Bank’s Regional Manager Bill Mills sits on Temple’s Board of Trustees! Even though the students at Temple were able to gather over 500 signatures in support of their petition, the University administration furnished our student allies in ‘Temple Community Against Mountaintop Removal’ with a letter stating that “There is no opportunity for others who may be interested in [Temple and PNC’s relationship] or any other matter under discussion to participate in the Committee’s deliberations.” 

As the Temple 3 sat and spoke inside the bank, we sang and spoke outside, passing out copies of the Trustees response and the students’ demands: an unconditional public statement of opposition to PNC’s investments in mountaintop removal, a timeline for the severence of the relationship between the two institutions from the Investment Committee, and open and public hearings on the issue!  EQAT Temple Alumni Carolyn McCoy, Ingrid Lakey, and Lee Reinert spoke out about the issue alongside Temple Students, EQAT member Luke Byrnes mediated between students and local police officers, and Occupy Philadelphia provided legal support when the students were taken to the precinct.

As of this morning, Ethan Jury, Diane Isser and Daniel Teichman have been released safe and sound. Please keep them in your thoughts as they enjoy some well-earned rest!

Watch a video of the 3 Temple students reading their statement inside the bank at the beginning of the sit-in:

And click here to read the excellent Temple News article about the event:
http://temple-news.com/2011/11/30/protest-at-campus-pnc-branch-ends-in-three-student-arrests/

EQAT ‘die-in’ at PNC

Today, over 100 people joined members of the Earth Quaker Action Team for a “die in” on the streets of Philadelphia, to demonstrate the consequences of PNC’s investments in mountaintop removal coal mining.

Holding dozens of ‘Poison’ signs representing different parts of our community affected by mountaintop removal, the Mountains, Water, Democracy and Economy contingents of our march collapsed, on after another, in front of PNC branches on Walnut and Market streets as we spoke out about the consequences of these extraction practices. Our street theater stretched from sidewalk to sidewalk, dramatizing the cost of PNC’s policies as bank employees streamed outside to listen and take videos on their cellphones.

It was a powerful moment and a powerful symbol of what we are fighting for. It meant a lot to me that we were able to bring together mountaintop removal, fracking, and financial bailout opponents together for this event, and to identify PNC as a culprit in all three issues. It is becoming clear to people that PNC is our local connection to the financial and climate crisis, and it was inspiring to see such a passionate, multigenerational crowd taking part in nonviolent action together. Together we sang:

“From Appalachia to Pennsylvania, We Share the Same Fight

We Both Know that Water is a Human Right!”

Click here to see the article about us in today’s Metro.

Our coverage in the Metro today took some of the bolder quotes out of the facts and statistics we shared, but we were serious today about what was at stake, and we were able to speak powerfully to the fact that peoples’ health is already being affected.

EQAT November!

Click this link for our November Calendar of Events!

Video of Occupy Philly supporting Temple Students + EQAT!

EQAT Joins with Temple Allies

On Tuesday, October 11th, the Earth Quaker Action Team was fortunate to join with student allies at Temple University, who led a rebellious non-violent direct action at their Board of Trustees Meeting to protest Temple’s ‘special relationship’ with PNC Bank – joined by Occupy Philadelphia!

This was the ‘coming out’ event for Temple student allies – at a key location in PNC’s strategy. Not only does the bank aggressively push its’ ‘virtual wallet’ program to capture student consumers, but they have a special relationship with the University: PNC Regional President Bill Mills is on the Board of Trustees!

Amazingly, we were joined by almost 100 allies from Occupy Philadelphia, who took the Broad Street Subway to Cecil B. Moore Avenue to join our rally, filling every chair in the Board of Trustees meeting and sending a strong message – that our struggle isn’t just on behalf of the people in Appalachia, it is on behalf of all people fighting for a better life.

Temple Student Brianne Murphy read a phenomenal, passionate speech as cameras rolled, and Temple Alum Luke Byrnes lead them in a chant through the hallways of the Administration Building.

At the conclusion of the meeting, our Temple allies were offered a private conference with Temple administration, Board Members, and the University President, thanks to our strong showing. This is only the first step in their new campaign for Temple’s Divestment from PNC and all MTR sponsoring companies.

It has been a week of phenomenal press coverage for EQAT, which has spread our story to thousands of new people in the Delaware Valley region.  Check it out:

1. EQAT was on the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer (and a big picture on page A12 of our latest Bank action) :

2. EQAT was on the front page of Temple’s main newspaper

3. EQAT’s Temple Action was on channel 6 morning and afternoon news all across the region

Now, more than ever, it’s important to get involved with EQAT and help us build a strong movement for environmental justice.

Email us at eqateam@gmail.com to be added to our list and receive updates about events and actions!

PNC lacks Integrity

We had a powerful and moving nonviolent action today, thank you everyone for your passion and your commitment.

Check out the coverage below:

Quakers target PNC for funding mountaintop removal mining - Citypaper

 

More pictures and video coming soon!

Want to get involved? Email us at eqateam@gmail.com

Quaker Environmentalists Hold Trial Inside PNC Over Investments in Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining 

Bank branch closed for three hours as PNC refuses to meet with Quakers

PHILADELPHIA – 25 environmentalists and members of the Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) held a public trial inside the main lobby of PNC Regional Headquarters on Thursday, charging PNC with “Impersonating a Green Bank”.

“PNC promotes itself as an environmentally responsible bank, but the truth is they are the nation’s #1 financier of corporations that practice mountaintop removal coal mining, which has destroyed over 500 mountains and led to thousands of violations of the Clean Water Act.” said Jonathan Snipes, acting as lead prosecutor in the case.

The trial, which featured a robed judge, prosecution, defense, and a full jury, caused the bank to close its customer branch for the duration of the event, which lasted a little over three hours. Four members of EQAT, acting as bailiffs for the court, stood in front of a row of management elevators and refused to leave the bank when directed to do so by PNC Security, demanding that the Regional President J. William Mills come down to the lobby and answer the charges on behalf of the bank.

“We committed this act of civil disobedience today to send a message to PNC Bank – that there can be no business as usual while children are being born with birth defects thanks to PNC investments. If PNC wants to be the green bank they claim to be, they need to stop all financing for any company involved in this criminal practice,” said Lina Blount, a student at Bryn Mawr College and one of the EQAT bailiffs.

At the close of the trial, the group held PNC Bank in ‘contempt’ for its refusal to send a representative to the Court, and delivered a verdict of Guilty, pledging that the seriousness of the charges and the requirements of justice would warrant further action.

EQAT travels to WV to support communities fighting MTR!

(WV Gazette) BLAIR, W.Va. — Hundreds of protesters reached the summit of Blair Mountain on Saturday, marking the end of a weeklong, 50-mile march to raise awareness of mountaintop-removal mining and labor rights in West Virginia.

The protesters came from far and wide to participate in the journey, hailing not only from West Virginia, but also Kentucky, Utah, North Carolina, Tennessee, Australia and Japan. The five-day march was an effort to preserve Blair Mountain as a historical site and to prevent coal companies from using it for mountaintop-removal mining.

http://wvgazettemail.com/News/201106111091

It was an amazing experience to walk alongside coal field residents who have been on the front lines, facing down the coal companies for the past 100 years.

We are so honored to be a part of this movement to stop MTR,  save these communities , and restore Appalachia with green jobs and a clean energy economy!

Here in Philadelphia, we pledge to do OUR PART and make a difference as part of our Quaker legacy!

Here is a video made of sections of the march:

Some news coverage:

http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2011/06/06/the-march-on-blair-mountain-begins/

http://www.thenation.com/blog/161236/march-blair-mountain-honors-labor-history-calls-end-mountaintop-removal-coal-mining

EQAT at the PNC Annual Shareholders Meeting

Report on EQAT Participation 

at PNC Shareholders Annual Meeting

Washington DC

April 26, 2011

eqat.wordpress.com

 

 

            Twelve members of EQAT gathered in Washington D.C. last week to attend the annual meeting of PNC Financial Services Group shareholders.  Having purchased our own PNC shares in February, or representing Quaker Meetings with PNC shares, we intended to explaining our position on PNC’s MTR policies and support the testimony of Amber Whittington of Kayford Mountain, West Virginia, who came to share the reality of living in the coal fields next to an MTR site.

            EQAT members were professional in both appearance and behavior, which supported our desire to be taken seriously by PNC and to engage them on a respectful and personal level.  The bank was expecting us, in fact, and we were greeted kindly by some familiar members of security outside the building before presenting our shareholder papers to be let inside.

Once we proved to PNC’s security team our right to be admitted, we calmly took our places in a conference room in PNC’s brand new LEED Platinum-certified building, of which they are enormously proud.   Like Friends Center in Philadelphia, it is the first commercial structure in DC to receive this highest rating. The meeting was brief and very much pro forma.  James Rohr, CEO of PNC, gave a report on the state of business and some measures were voted on – within about 40 minutes the business was concluded and the floor was opened for questions and comments.

Each question that we asked received a personal response from the CEO in front of the assembled 70 person crowd of financial executives and board members.  Amanda Starbuck of the Rainforest Action Network, who was an invaluable ally to us during the planning of this event, spoke first. She asked PNC to explain how their revised policy on MTR investment was being implemented, and what impact it was having on their profit from those investments.  Next, Amber from the WV Keeper of the Mountains Foundation spoke. She described  the devastation caused by MTR, especially to the running water in her community, which has become toxic and undrinkable. Amber has to drive 45 minutes in either direction to purchase clean drinking water.

            EQAT clerk Carolyn McCoy spoke next, saying that as a Quaker, and knowing the Quaker heritage of PNC, that she could not condone any investments in companies that engage in MTR – she powerfully raised objections to the policy, speaking as a Quaker and as a shareholder on behalf of the bank itself. After her conclusion, in which she asked PNC to commit to a “sector exclusion” of all MTR mining., James Rohr responded that he is well aware of the history of PNC and proud of its Quaker foundations.

Several EQAT members had prepared short statements, but we didn’t want to overwhelm the audience. Lee Reinert addressed the meeting as a teacher with concerns for the health and well-being of the children of Appalachia, and member Walter Hjelt Sullivan was moved by the Spirit to forego what he had written to ask PNC whether there was any business they would not invest in, even if it was profitable, because it went against their conscience.  After a moment, PNC CEO James Rohr said he thought there was, but he did not give an example.  It was a powerful moment.

EQAT also brought gifts for each PNC board member, including a gift bag we were able to publically present to the CEO —a framed photographof Appalachian mountains and a packet of information about MTR. When the meeting adjourned, these were distributed to many PNC board members.  Several interesting and possibly fruitful conversations took place between board members and EQAT folks, which served to bridge the gap and make us each more recognizable and more human to one another.

Our experience at the PNC Shareholders meeting was a great example of Quaker values in action.

Amy Ward Brimmer
Zachary Hershman
Earth Quaker Action Team