Press Advisory
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Contact:
Walter Hjelt Sullivan
215.588.5417
hjeltsullivan@verizon.net
PNC Bank Account Closings Spread Across State
Campaign Against PNC’s Investments Expands
WHAT:
PNC Bank account holders in two Philadelphia locations, joined by others in cities of Pittsburgh and Gettysburg, to close their accounts in protest this week as part of Earth Quaker Action Team’s ongoing campaign to pressure PNC to end controversial financing of coal companies that practice mountaintop removal mining.
WHERE:
Philadelphia – PNC Rittenhouse Square - 4:30 PM – 1849 Walnut St.
Philadelphia – PNC Chestnut Hill – 12:00PM – 8340 Germantown Ave
Pittsburgh – PNC Squirrel Hill – 2:00PM – 5810 Forbes Ave
Gettysburg PA
Account holders will be joined by a dozen concerned citizens outside each of the PNC Bank local branches to publicly close their PNC accounts, calling attention to PNC’s role as a top investor in controversial, dangerous mountaintop removal coal mining and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for natural gas.
As part of their Bank Like Appalachia Matters campaign, Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) announced the Green Your Money initiative to withdraw support from PNC on February 29th, 2012. With no response after 90 days from bank executives, EQAT members began closing their accounts on June 1st. To date, the Green Your Money participants have withdrawn more than $2 million from PNC banks across the country.
Mountaintop removal is a devastating form of surface mining that pollutes waterways and causes serious health conditions such as cancer. PNC Bank is one of the nations two largest financiers of mountaintop removal, according to the Rainforest Action Network, whose 2012 Coal Finance Report Card was published last month.
After the success of their 17-day, 200 mile walk from Philadelphia to PNC’s Headquarters in Pittsburgh last May, and recruitment at 8 PNC Alliance School campuses in 3 states in August, Earth Quaker Action Team will hold a multi-state Day of Action on December 1.
VISUALS: Banners, posters, crowd at each location. Participants will enter the bank and attempt to engage management about PNC’s mountaintop removal investments before closing their accounts. No arrests are anticipated. 5-10 account holders and 15-20 supporters outside.
