pipeline protests

Opinion — Legislators across eight American states are drafting laws that would increase punishments to up to a $1 million fine and 10 years in jail for those who trespass on “critical infrastructure facilities,” which include oil and gas pipelines, power plants, and petroleum refineries.

A “staff report” from Republicans on the United States House Science, Space, and Technology Committee offers little evidence to prove allegations of Russian efforts to influence U.S. energy markets through “social media propaganda” to incite pipeline protests.
Nonetheless, the report, pushed by Republican chairman Representative Lamar Smith, went virtually unquestioned when it was covered by U.S. media.