Tim DeChristopher disrupted an unauthorized Bureau of Land Management oil and gas auction in December 2008, assuming the identity of Bidder 70 and outbidding oil companies for parcels adjacent to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks in Utah.
For his act of civil disobedience, DeChristopher was sentenced to two years in federal prison. Held for 21 months, his imprisonment brought him international attention as an activist and political prisoner of the United States government. He utilized this platform to emphasize the urgency of the climate crisis and advocate for bold, confrontational action to foster a just and healthy world. DeChristopher seized the opportunity during his prosecution to establish the climate justice organization Peaceful Uprising in Salt Lake City and later founded the Climate Disobedience Center.
He continues to strive for a sustainable future.
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Tim’s Background:
Tim DeChristopher arrived in Utah in his early twenties to work as a wilderness guide for at-risk youth. Raised in West Virginia, where his mother advocated against mountaintop removal coal mining, DeChristopher’s worldview was profoundly altered during a presentation by Dr. Terry Root, a climate scientist, at the University of Utah’s Stegner Symposium in 2008. Root’s revelation about irreversible aspects of the climate crisis left a lasting impact on DeChristopher.
While finishing his final exams at the University of Utah, DeChristopher joined a protest organized by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance against a contentious auction of Utah public lands conducted by the outgoing Bush Administration. Unable to settle the issue through legal means before the auction, DeChristopher impulsively entered the auction venue and registered as Bidder 70.
Initially intending to disrupt the proceedings verbally, DeChristopher realized the opportunity for more impactful intervention. He began bidding on parcels, driving up prices and ultimately winning several. The chaos ensued when it was discovered he lacked the means to pay for the parcels, leading to the auction’s shutdown. Subsequently, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar dismissed the auction, citing procedural violations, including a failure to consider environmental impacts.
DeChristopher’s action garnered significant media attention and support, leading to the formation of Peaceful Uprising, dedicated to climate activism.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing:
Following numerous trial delays, DeChristopher was convicted in 2011 of two federal felonies. Despite efforts to present a “Necessity Defense” and claims of selective prosecution, he was found guilty. Throughout his trial and subsequent sentencing to two years in federal prison, DeChristopher remained steadfast in his advocacy for climate justice, emphasizing the necessity of nonviolent civil disobedience in effecting social change.
Post-Prison Endeavors:
Released in 2013 after serving his sentence, DeChristopher pursued studies at Harvard Divinity School, focusing on the intersection of climate change and mortality.
Tim DeChristopher’s journey embodies the resilience and dedication required in the fight for environmental sustainability and social justice.