At least three states passed laws putting new criminal penalties on protests against fossil fuel infrastructure in just the past two weeks amid the chaos of the coronavirus pandemic.

First came Kentucky. On March 16, Gov. Andy Beshear (D) signed legislation that while removing some of the original bills most draconian measures on protest designated natural gas or petroleum pipelines as key infrastructure assets and made causing damage that totals more than $1,000 or tampering in a manner that renders the operations harmful or dangerous felony charges of criminal mischief in the first degree.

Two days later, it was South Dakota. On March 18, Gov. Kristi Noem (R) signed a bill that expanded the definition of critical infrastructure to include virtually any oil, gas or utility equipment, and raised the charges for causing substantial interruption or impairment of such facilities to felonies. Five days later, on March 23, the governor approved a second measure defining a felony riot as intentional use of force or violence by three or more persons that causes any damage to property.

On Wednesday, West Virginia followed suit. Gov. Jim Justice (R) greenlighted legislation assigning the same critical infrastructure status to a wide range of oil, gas and pipeline facilities, slapping fines as high as $20,000 on anyone found guilty of causing damage, destruction, vandalization, defacing or tampering that totals $2,500 or more.