Since the decades-old ban on crude oil exports was lifted in 2015, oil companies have been racing to rapidly expand fracking in the Permian Basin in west Texas and southeast New Mexico. The Permian Basin is the world’s largest climate bomb. The oil and gas export buildout there and along the Gulf threatens to derail our fight against the climate crisis.
A 4th generation shrimper, activist, and author, Diane Wilson has been fighting to stop the harms of fracking, petrochemical production, and fossil fuel exports in the Gulf for decades. Last year, her tireless efforts culminated in a landmark $50M Clean Water Act settlement against Formosa Plastics for dumping billions of plastic pellets and powder into her beloved Lavaca Bay. Using resources from this settlement, Diane has been working to revitalize Lavaca Bay’s fisheries, even working with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives to develop a multiracial fishing coop.
Now, an oil export dredging project threatens to destroy the fragile ecosystems and sustainable economy Diane is working so hard to restore. The US Army Corps of Engineers and company Max Midstream are planning to dredge the Matagorda Ship Channel straight through a mercury-contaminated Superfund site to make room for a massive oil export terminal.
On April 7th, Diane started a hunger strike to oppose this project, and she needs your support! We’re encouraging people to make calls to the local Army Corps of Engineers office to help stop the project. Click here to make a call! If you can’t make a call, sign our petition here.
As Diane’s hunger strike continues, we’ll keep you posted on other ways to support her campaign to stop dredging in Matagorda Ship Channel and protect Lavaca Bay from crude oil exports. You can follow her daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.