About the Pledge

Why a Pledge of Resistance?


In the hills surrounding the Susquehanna River and its tributaries, rural Pennsylvanians have created a new campaign, called Occupy WELL Street, as a way to confront and speak out against the oil and gas corporations laying siege to our communities in their relentless pursuit of natural gas. Participants of Occupy Well Street have been working side by side with several Earth First! groups in the region to create this, our Pledge of Resistance to hydraulic fracturing and the promises of gas royalties at the cost of ruined land, toxic water, polluted air, and divided communities.



Occupy Well Street is taking a stand against the social pressure, lawsuits and occasional death threats that pro-gas individuals and gas corporations have been directing at many of those resisting the spread of fracking operations across the Marcellus region for the past few years. We are fed up with feeling isolated and silenced, and are frustrated with the idea that many others in rural communities may be hesitating to speak out for fear of threats, social consequences and legal action. 
We believe this is not an issue centered around individuals who sign leases, but is a case of multinational corporations preying on rural areas in order to make as much money as possible. Our solution is a Pledge of Resistance, both a universal declaration of opposition against fracking and a resounding statement of solidarity with all others resisting the spread of this destructive industry.


Our Pledge consists of several points of unity. We encourage all interested individuals, groups and organizations to read and consider our points, and think of how they can be applied in the many different roles people fill in the movement against fracking.


How do I sign up? What does it mean to endorse this Pledge?

Endorsing the Anti-Fracking Pledge of Resistance is as easy as clicking the “Sign Now” button and letting us know what you're interested in doing or learning as a participating member of this campaign to stop the fracking boom. We'll place you on an email list and will notify you when there are upcoming trainings, meetings, demonstrations and direct action events. Be sure to let us know if you or your group would like to be a public endorser. If you've indicated you'd like to publicly sign our Pledge, we will add your name to the “Endorser” list at the bottom of this page, so others can see you're standing up and speaking out. We are looking to use this pledge to both help grow and unify our movement against fracking... and show that we mean business!

Endorsing means that you (or your group) is willing to stand in public solidarity with all those resisting fracking operations in Pennsylvania, in the Marcellus Shale, across the United States, and around the world. Not everyone who is trying to fight (or simply survive) fracking has access to a supportive community of fellow activists, and we hope this Pledge will grow into a powerful statement of support and commitment to further participation. The natural gas industry (which is really just an arm of the oil industry) is much bigger than each one of us, and simply showing them that we are tired of being used to further their profit margins is a big step in the right direction.

Endorsing this pledge will also help to put you in touch with the growing campaign of protests, demonstrations and direct action events at points of production in the natural gas industry. While there have been several large demonstrations at hearings regarding further expansion of fracking operations and infrastructure, there have been few events at points of production, such as gas wells, compressor stations and pipeline construction sites. We aim to take the message of Occupy Well Street, and the whole anti-fracking movement, to these points of production, and show the drillers that we are not willing to simply show up at hearings and regulatory meetings.

If you'd like to contact Occupy Well Street directly, send an email to occupywellstreet (at) riseup.net.