My name is Donald Jones. My family has lived on interconnected farms in the beautiful hills and valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Giles and Salem County since 1758.

Several years ago, my dad George learned that fracking companies planned to destroy our family property by building a 42-inch pipeline, called the Mountain Valley Pipeline, right through the middle of our land. This pipeline would threaten our ancient mountain spring, along with hundreds of other water sources in Virginia and West Virginia. As a 1930’s farm boy, my dad knew that the most valuable commodity for life is water. He was appalled to know that his elected officers were uninformed about risks this pipeline would pose to ecosystems and water supplies all across Virginia.

It has been an awful experience for us to deal with. The invasion of our land has been devastating. One day, shortly after learning that a survey was conducted on his land without his knowledge or presence, my dad had a debilitating stroke.

But the pipeline has not been fully built yet and President Biden’s administration still has the power to stop it. This is why I’m hoping you will sign this petition asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to stop all work on this pipeline.

My dad fought in the Korean War, serving in the U.S. Navy, to protect the rights of American citizens and to spread the peace and liberty guaranteed citizens here throughout the world. He was devastated when he felt that his own government was stripping his property rights away by using eminent domain for the benefit of a private corporation.

There are scores of citizens all across Virginia facing the same situation with their property, their rights, their health, their heritage and their water. We are outraged by this violation of citizen rights -- but equally concerned with the certain destruction to the ecosystem and especially ancient water systems that can never be “fixed.” This pipeline would bring 300 miles of harm to West Virginia and Virginia, threatening hundreds of waterways.

But my dad and I will keep fighting. Despite his stroke, dad knows he has an obligation to fight for our land and our rights. He has lost memory of many things but asks me how the pipeline fight is going every day. One day on his mountain, he told me he was going to fight as long as he could stand.

Our leaders have the power to stand with citizens, protect our water, and reject the Mountain Valley pipeline.

Now I’m asking you, on behalf of my dad and all the other landowners and residents of communities in the path of this pipeline, to tell the officials at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: issue a stop-work order right now.