MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis residents fighting a proposed oil pipeline got another victory Monday night. Shelby County Commissioners voted down a resolution that would put two vacant, county-owned plots of land up for sale. It’s land the pipeline developers want to buy.
“I do not believe these properties should be sold,” commissioner Tami Sawyer said.
The proposed “Byhalia Pipeline” would currently cut through parts of southwest Memphis including predominantly African American neighborhoods like Boxtown. Opponents, including former Vice President Al Gore, call it environmental racism and claim the project also poses a threat to Memphis’s water supply.
A small group of protesters gathered outside commission chambers Monday afternoon.
“We have all of Memphis here with us even though you can’t see them,” Keshaun Pearson said.
“We are not going to allow Byhalia Pipeline to come through our community,” Linda Hayes said.
Representatives with “Byhalia Connection” stood their ground while addressing commissioners during the meeting.
“We have to go through South Memphis to connect to the refinery. It was not a choice to affect one group of people over another,” Katie Martin said, “In fact, our team chose this route to minimize environmental impacts.”
Monday’s commission vote came roughly a week after the Memphis City Council approved a resolution in committee that opposes the pipeline.
The commission also voted down a resolution Monday night that would ask the Federal Government to review the permit for the pipeline.
The fight is far from over. Pipeline developers now say an alternate route might force more residents to have to relocate when land is acquired through eminent domain.