STATEMENT: Governor Northam Fails to Protect Citizens of Union Hill

Community Leaders Accuse Dominion Energy of Blatant Environmental Racism Over Controversial Compressor Station for Fracked Gas

 
RICHMOND, VA — Today, the Northam administration removed two members of the Air Pollution Control Board from their posts before a crucial vote on the gigantic and deeply harmful Atlantic Coast Pipeline compressor station in Buckingham County, Virginia. These members were a part of a crucial bloc of votes which led to stronger environmental protections in recently the re-proposed Carbon Reduction Plan and they both showed concern about the permit for the Buckingham compressor station. The proposed 54,000-horsepower compressor station — situated a short distance from the homes of the descendants of freedmen in the community of Union Hill — would run 24 hours a day and constantly fill the community with loud noise that is comparable to a jet engine. Facilities like this pollute the air with nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter and are linked to severe respiratory and cardiovascular ailments, as well as cancer. This compressor station is needed to keep gas flowing through Dominion’s controversial $7-billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
Since the day this project was announced, community advocates in Union Hill have sounded the alarm on environmental justice concerns. Scores of concerned citizens have rallied and protested across the state in opposition of these projects. Hundreds turned up in Buckingham County to give public comment against the project. Thousands more sent written comments to the DEQ which requested the agency deny the permits. Yet no matter how many Virginians said this was a bad idea, Dominion continued pushing for this location. The Union Hill community is a rural, low-income, mostly African-American community where residents are less likely to have the resources to pursue legal challenges.
Even though Mr. Bleicher and Mrs. Rubin both had terms that were set to expire in June, their roles would have extended indefinitely if the Northam administration had not taken action.
This decision comes just weeks after the world’s top scientists at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a dire warning sounded the alarm bells for the world to move away from dangerous fossil fuels at a rapid pace.
Harrison Wallace, Virginia Director of CCAN, stated in response:

“We are shocked and incredibly disappointed that the Northam Administration is terminating the terms of Air Board members Rebecca Rubin and Sam Bleicher. This deeply controversial move comes just weeks before a crucial vote on the Buckingham Compressor Station for fracked gas. The people of Union Hill and Buckingham County deserve a fair hearing from the full board. This decision will rob them of that opportunity. Governor Northam has now officially taken ownership of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and ownership of this compressor station, a facility which involves strong elements of environmental racism. The governor must understand that with today’s action, the public will now hold him responsible for all the future harm to water, the climate, farmland, and human life that now could come to Virginia.”

Top 5 Reasons Why You Need to Visit Miracle Ridge this Summer

In July, I joined activists, advocates, and property owners in Bath County to experience the pristine beauty of Miracle Ridge.
The ridgeline, named by property owners Bill and Lynn Limpert, can only be fully appreciated by visiting it in person. From the pure waterways from which the county derives its name, to the grand trees that outdate our country’s government, even one afternoon on Miracle Ridge will drive home the sheer absurdity of Dominion’s plan to blow up this ridgeline at taxpayers’ expense, just to ensure an windfall of profits in the years to come.
Here are four reasons why you need to come visit Miracle Ridge this summer:
1) Build relationships with the people that are being asked to sacrifice their land
A visit to Miracle Ridge is more than just a camp. It is a way to connect with the Limpert family and the greater Bath community. On my first official full day at the camp neighbors came from miles away to share stories on the Limperts’ north-facing front porch and talk with the media.
One couple, Jeannette and Gary, have roots extending in the community as deep as the trees themselves. They met in Bath County many years ago when Gary came to Jeanette’s house to clean her chimney. But Jeannette’s family tree extends in Bath back to 1792. Her ancestors fought for freedom and independence in the Revolutionary War. Now, she finds herself in a battle for the freedom and independence from the extractive fossil fuels industry that seeks to take the land that has been in her family for so many generations.
2) Hike Miracle Ridge
Every day upon awakening in Bath County I had the opportunity to hike Miracle Ridge. Just sixty seconds into my first hike I could see why the ridgeline is so deserving of its grand namesake. It is a nature lover’s dream.
On Saturday, Mike, Bill, Sam, Jarrod and I walked to the top of the Ridge all the way to the National Park service road. Along the way we encountered centuries-old sugar maple trees, heard the calls of numerous rare birds, and embarked on a search for the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee. This bumble bee is officially listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), with climate change and increased exposure to disease has caused the bee’s population to plummet by 90% since 1990. There have been a number of Rusty Patched Bee sightings on Miracle Ridge, which if proven could prove tremendous in the fight against the ACP.
Experiencing this in person is a glaring reaffirmation that Dominion’s plan to blow Miracle Ridge by the equivalent of a two-story building is nothing short of radical and extreme.
3) Swim in some of Virginia’s most pristine water
Just down the mountain from Miracle Ridge are a number of the fresh mineral water springs from which the Bath County has received its namesake. Renowned for its healing properties, the pristine water attracts travelers and tourists from all over the continent every year.
The pure nature of the water is due to the high concentration of Karst – one of mother nature’s most powerful water filtration systems. This geological typography is characterized by a network of caves, fissures, sinkholes, and underground streams and is prone to sinking.
Many experts point to constructing the proposed pipeline of cause as a reason for alarm, as industrial-scale construction and ridgetop removal could potentially have irreversible negative impacts on the local waterways.
4) Make connections with other like-minded activists
Activists and advocates from all across the region are coming to Miracle Ridge to make a stand.
Saturday afternoon our group was joined by two activists: Holden and Gabriella who organize against the ACP in North Carolina and heard about the encampment on Facebook. Over dinner that evening we shared strategies of what was working in each of our states and reaffirmed our commitment to defending Miracle Ridge and all lands threatened by pipelines until the very end.
5) Meet Ona for herself
One of the most humbling experiences about a visit to Miracle Ridge is an opportunity to meet with Ona, the 300-plus-year-old sugar maple that has been likened to a piece of art and is making waves all across the region.
“Ona,” an ancient Hebrew name meaning “graceful,” could not have a more appropriate from one of the most visually striking features on Miracle Ridge. Standing at a jaw-dropping 60-feet with a 15-foot circumference, you can feel Ona’s magnetic presence as soon as you stand up to her. This tree, which outdates Dominion and the fossil fuels industry itself is now being threatened to be cut down to make way for a violent pipeline that will lock us into fossil fuels extraction for another generation. One trip to Miracle Ridge will reaffirm everything that we are being asked to sacrifice for Dominion’s profits and will reaffirm why we will need to continue to fight even harder in the weeks and months to come.

RSVP today to join us at Miracle Ridge!

"No Pipeline Summer": Camp Log

“Miracle Ridge,” home of Bill and Lynn Limpert, is home to many important and valuable things, including countless centuries-old trees. But because it sits in the path of Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline, every single one of those trees are at risk — which is why dozens of campers have joined the Limperts for “No Pipeline Summer: A Camp to Save the Limpert’s Land.”
Just like the beautiful trees, Miracle Ridge is home to many precious memories. This is why we’re running a camp log at Miracle Ridge. Within the log, anyone has the option to write about their experiences during their stay in Miracle Ridge. Ever since the book and pen has been available to everyone, multiple people have written their valuable stories and thoughts. Just like the ones below.
Join us at “No Pipeline Summer” to make your own heartwarming memories, and remember what’s at stake. If you’d like to support the camp from afar, you can donate to the Interfaith Alliance for Climate Justice and specify that you’d like your donation to go to “No Pipeline Summer.”
And read on for some of the memories campers have chosen to share.

“We have plenty of pipelines and don’t need or want more. Facilitating fossil fuel distribution will speed global warming and climate change, which is already and existential threat to humanity. We need to preserve our forests and ecosystems. They have wonderful healing powers.” -Bruce Tinker

 
“I honor the sacred work that Bill, Lynn and Susan are doing here in Bath County. The Lord is rich and beautiful and ancient. Surely we can come together to prevent it’s destruction. Allowing destruction of Mother Earth is not acceptable for living beings, our children, our grandchildren. Please come you then and bear artness to the “power over” energy that is attempting to destroy our future.” -Pam Tinker

 
“Beautiful property. I’m glad I came and saw for myself the forest, with the big 400+ year old trees that would be destroyed, the waterway that would leave contaminated, and the views that would be obstinated, by the Atlantic Coast Pipeline going through the Limperts’ property. I’ve Learned a lot from my weekend here at the encampment, and will always follow what happens. Thanks for the open invitation to come and camp. As my first retreat experience, I must say it has been a very informational and enjoyable me. Thanks!” -Bryan Banning

 
“Round 2 out at the Limperts’ Thank you for being such gracious hosts. #NoACP” -Jared Couch

 
“Such beautiful land, trees, and water. I appreciate your efforts to promote this health and beauty for all, and your welcoming and conversation.” -Don Andress

 
“Thank you! The “Big tree tour” was so educational and transformational – Thank you for protecting and stewarding Little Valley.” -Annie Walters

 
“I know that we will win!!!” -Jamshid Bakhtiari CCAN

 
“Thank you x1,000 for the beautiful hike, your delicious food, and your generous hospitality. Fight the good fight!!!” -Chris Damon and Kate Rivara

 
“So grateful to have experienced this movement to protect Virginia’s natural beauty. I hope to be back soon! Thank you for sharing your home with me and others this summer!” -Eva Fuze

CCAN Statement: Atlantic Coast Pipeline Setback Proves its Environmental Impacts are Unacceptable

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5/16/18
CONTACT:
Anne Havemann, General Counsel, 202-997-2466, anne@chesapeakeclimate.org
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, 608-620-8819, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org

CCAN Statement: Atlantic Coast Pipeline Setback Proves its Environmental Impacts are Unacceptable

RICHMOND, VA — Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit threw out a key permit granted to Dominion Energy’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline, finding that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s “Incidental Take Statement,” meant to protect threatened and endangered species, was inadequate. The court found that the limits set by the agency were “so indeterminate that they undermine the [permit’s] enforcement monitoring function under the Endangered Species Act.” Without this permit, all on-the-ground construction must stop in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia because other federal permits are contingent on the FWS permit. The Southern Environmental Law Center argued the case on behalf of the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, and Virginia Wilderness Committee.
Anne Havemann, General Counsel at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, stated in response:
“This decision is a validation of what we’ve been saying for years: The environmental impacts of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline are huge and unacceptable. The only way we know we can protect our environment and our climate is to stop the pipeline from being built.
“The impacts of Dominion’s aggressive push to get regulators to approve this unwanted and unnecessary pipeline without the proper reviews are finally catching up to the company. In addition to yesterday’s court decision, state regulators in Virginia who were pushed to approve the Atlantic Coast Pipeline without complete environmental plans from Dominion have opened up yet another public comment period on stream crossings. Yesterday’s decision is just one in what we expect will be a long line of setbacks for Dominion’s reckless pipeline plans.”
 

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VA delegates and senators support "Stand with Red"

Yesterday, more than a dozen Virginia delegates and senators joined the chorus of landowners, activists, and faith communities in voicing their opposition to the proposed Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast Pipelines.
Dubbed Stand with Red day, the event sought to highlight cruel attempts by the pipeline companies, with the support of Virginia’s law enforcement agencies, to starve “Red” Terry — a mother in Roanoke County. She has been sitting in a tree on her own property with her daughter refusing to leave until the pipeline companies themselves depart the land that her family has called home for seven generations.
The event, organized by Northern Virginia-based attorney and journalist Jon Sokolow, included eleven state delegates and two senators. They all urged Governor Northam to fulfill his 2017 campaign promise to be “very cognizant” of property rights, and to demand that his Department of Environmental Quality undergo “site-specific” permitting processes.
“Let me be clear,” said Blacksburg Delegate Chris Hurst, “it should not be up to landowners, who have already had their land taken through invalid eminent domain procedures to make sure Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC does its job correctly. It should be our state agencies who lead that effort.”
Stand with Red day is not only an addition to the litany of protests against the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines which are seen on a regular basis, it is the culmination of years of work hammering away at Dominion, EQT, and the elected officials that do their bidding. It marks a definitive shift in Virginia’s political culture — which until recently was completely imprinted with the self-interest of Dominion, EQT, and other big polluters. Let there be no mistake about this, Virginia’s shifting political climate is due to nothing less than the countless hours and sacrifices made by activists, landowners, and whole communities to stop these pipelines in their path for the past three years.
“The word MVP should no longer be used to refer to them”, said 35th District Delegate Mark Keam as he addressed the booming crowd. “They are nothing close to what an MVP should be. The word MVP belongs to Red, her husband, and everybody else that is standing up. All of you here today are the real Most Valuable Players.”
To make a donation to the treetop rebellion resistance CLICK HERE. If you are inspired become a volunteer monitor to scrutinize every regulation that these pipelines break CLICK HERE to learn more about being trained!
 

Coalition Filings Could Halt Fracked Gas Pipeline Construction

Advocates for Clean Air and Water Seek Stay on Atlantic Coast Pipeline Pending Court Decision


RICHMOND, VA — Today, a coalition of environmental advocates filed two requests to stop construction of the controversial fracked gas Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) in the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit. The first is a motion to stay construction pending the court’s decision on the merits in an existing case for which the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has challenged the court’s jurisdiction. The second is a petition for relief under the All Writs Act, asking the court to halt construction pursuant to the FERC Certificate pending FERC’s resolution of the coalition’s request for rehearing, which FERC contends is still pending despite the fact that the agency is allowing construction of the ACP to proceed pursuant to the challenged Certificate. The second is filed in the alternative to the first and asks that the court act on it only if it agrees with FERC that the court does not have jurisdiction over the petition for review.
These filings challenge FERC’s failure to demonstrate that the pipeline is actually needed by the public. The groups contend that the overwhelming evidence shows the true purpose of the ACP is to provide profits for the shareholders of the pipeline’s financial backers, Duke and Dominion, at the expense of those utilities’ ratepayers. The effect of the filings would be a halt to the construction of the ACP until the court considers the coalition’s existing challenges to the FERC certificate that authorizes construction. FERC and ACP have ten days to respond.
Attorneys with Appalachian Mountain Advocates filed the litigation on behalf of the Sierra Club, Appalachian Voices, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and Wild Virginia.

In response, Sierra Club Beyond Dirty Fuels Campaign Director Kelly Martin released the following statement:

“The fracked gas Atlantic Coast Pipeline is dirty, dangerous and unnecessary and not a single foot of it should be built until the families and the communities that would be threatened by this project have their day in court.”

Anne Havemann, General Counsel for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network:

“We know the Atlantic Coast Pipeline would scar pristine mountains, damage water quality, and dramatically increase greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Yet FERC is trying to force it through without even allowing opponents their day in court. This is undemocratic and un-American and can’t be allowed.”

Peter Anderson, Virginia Program Manager for Appalachian Voices:

“The system has been rigged for years against citizens who want to challenge these interstate natural gas pipelines, which pose long-term threats to communities. FERC can essentially put legal challenges on ice while letting construction proceed, so by the time citizens have their day in court, a pipeline may be in full operation. It’s absurd, and utterly unfair. We will continue to fight to protect these communities.”

David Sligh, Conservation Director, Wild Virginia:

“For FERC to allow damage to the environment and assaults on our communities without all approvals in place and legal questions settled is irresponsible and is an assault on the way our government is supposed to work. We’ve seen where people and natural resources in Pennsylvania were harmed by premature construction activities for the Constitution Pipeline, a project that will likely never be built. FERC should be ashamed of that case and it should never be repeated.”

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Contact:
Doug Jackson: 202.495.3045, doug.jackson@sierraclub.org

About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
About Appalachian Mountain Advocates
Appalachian Mountain Advocates (Appalmad) is a non-profit law and policy center dedicated to fighting for clean water and a clean energy future. Appalmad has a long history of winning precedent-setting court cases. The organization represents scores of landowners and grassroots organizations challenging four unnecessary interstate pipelines in Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Appalmad has worked for nearly 20 years to ensure the fossil fuel industry cannot continue to dump its costs of doing business onto the public. For more information, visit www.appalmad.org.
About Wild Virginia
Wild Virginia works to preserve and support the complexity, diversity, and stability of natural ecosystems by enhancing connectivity, water quality and climate in the forests, mountains, and waters of Virginia through education and advocacy.

Breaking: Lawmakers announce steps to combat Hogan’s fracking hypocrisy

Maryland Legislators Announce Steps to Combat Governor Hogan’s Efforts to Expand Fracked-Gas Pipelines and Combustion in Maryland

New documents show how Gov. Hogan is collaborating with TransCanada and others to ship large amounts of fracked gas into and across MD, violating the spirit of  the state’s fracking ban.
Maryland assembly members announce possible legislative steps and other plans to stop costly leaking gas pipelines instead of Hogan’s major buildout plan for fracked-gas infrastructure across the state.
 
ANNAPOLIS, MD– Environmental leaders and legislators today sharply criticized Governor Larry Hogan’s multi-pronged effort to build fracked-gas pipelines in Maryland at the expense of the environment and consumers. During a telephone press call, two state senators offered an alternative pathway that involves repairing existing leaky gas pipelines in Maryland in a way that would help consumers, create jobs, and protect the climate. Environmental leaders, meanwhile, specifically reiterated their strong opposition to efforts by Hogan and TransCanada to build a controversial fracked-gas pipeline across Maryland and under the Potomac River.

Click here for a downloadable version of the “Hogan’s Fracking Hypocrisy” factsheet

Today’s press conference took place two days before hundreds of concerned activists plan to take part in the first-ever “citizen encirclement” of Gov. Hogan’s mansion, in a show of solidarity and opposition to TransCanada’s Eastern Panhandle Expansion Project, better known as the “Potomac Pipeline.” This unprecedented protest Thursday will be the culmination of nearly a year of opposition to this pipeline across Maryland, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Since signing a ban on fracking in 2017, Governor Hogan has worked consistently to undermine the spirit — if not the letter — of the law. For months, his administration has been actively negotiating with controversial Canadian oil and gas companies to ship large amounts of fracked gas into and across Maryland. In December his Administration explicitly called this gas, produced in neighboring states using the dangerous fracking drilling method, a “valuable resource” with “environmental benefits” . The Administration also announced its ambitious plans to “kick-start a natural gas expansion…throughout Maryland.”
The Chesapeake Climate Action Network and the Potomac Riverkeeper Network recently uncovered how Governor Hogan has been collaborating with Canadian companies to promote fracked-gas pipelines. This includes his proposal to use settlement money from the forthcoming merger between Washington Gas and Calgary-based AltaGas to construct fracked-gas pipelines at the expense of Maryland ratepayers.  Governor Hogan has proposed a virtually unprecedented settlement wherein the state of Maryland would spend $33 million in settlement money to assist gas companies in the construction of more fracked-gas pipelines all across Maryland. The settlement – which must be approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission later this year — also requires that AltaGas spend an additional $70 million (which could be charged to ratepayers) to promote pipeline construction and other fracked-gas infrastructure in the state.
During the call, Senator Richard Madaleno (D-18) and Senator Paul Pinsky (D-22) proposed taking the $100 million that Hogan wants to give to the fracked gas industry and instead investing it in workers to repair leaky pipes throughout the state, similar to legislation already passed in New Jersey and Massachusetts.
Senator Richard Madaleno (D-18) stated: “While Governor Hogan collaborates with Canadian companies to push dangerous fracked-gas pipelines where people don’t want them, Maryland’s existing pipelines are leaking climate-warming methane into our atmosphere. It’s clear we need to stop new fracked-gas infrastructure like the Potomac Pipeline from endangering the people of Maryland. We can bring jobs and environmental benefits to the state by instead focusing on rebuilding and repairing our current gas infrastructure and transitioning to renewable energy.”
Senator Paul Pinsky (D-22), who is a member of Governor Hogan’s Maryland Climate Commission stated: “Governor Hogan is putting all Marylanders at risk with his plan to aggressively expand fracked-gas infrastructure across the state. We need to work to protect the people of Maryland, not the bottom-line of Canadian gas companies.”
Documents also show that Governor Hogan collaborated with TransCanada to allow the Canadian gas company to carry out a dangerous drilling method called “Horizontal Directional Drilling” without oversight from the Maryland Department of Environment. And despite repeated pleas from groups ranging from the Potomac Riverkeeper Network to the Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Hogan administration refuses to follow a standard set by Virginia and other states when it comes to reviewing impacts to water quality from fracked-gas pipelines.
Mike Tidwell, Executive Director of Chesapeake Climate Action Network, who is also a member of the Maryland Climate Commission, stated: “The Governor has launched this gas expansion effort while saying he supports the Paris Climate Agreements, even as scientists confirm that fracked gas is essentially as harmful to the climate as coal. As for clean-energy substitutes to gas, the Governor vetoed a 2016 General Assembly law expanding wind and solar power and other renewable energy sources to make up 25% of the state’s grid. Governor Hogan is trying to drag us back to the dark ages on climate.”
Brent Walls, Upper Potomac Riverkeeper, stated: “It’s hypocritical for Governor Hogan to take a stand against fracking and push so hard for fracking infrastructure — and it’s absurd for him to do so with such careless disregard for the safety of his constituents. The Potomac Pipeline was just the beginning. We need a new direction for the state of Maryland, one that leads us away from outdated gas infrastructure and towards a truly sustainable energy future.”
CCAN concluded that “Hogan’s commitment to gas infrastructure is a major threat to the state’s energy policy, a potential harm to consumers, and it creates serious legal uncertainty under NAFTA.”

CONTACT:
Denise Robbins; Chesapeake Climate Action Network; denise@chesapeakeclimate.org; 608-620-8819
Brooke Harper; Chesapeake Climate Action Network; brooke@chesapeakeclimate.org; 301-992-6875

Enviros Sue to Stop Fracked Gas Pipeline

Coalition challenges FERC approval of Mountain Valley Pipeline

WASHINGTON, DC — Late yesterday, a coalition of environmental groups took legal action in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to halt start of construction of the fracked-gas Mountain Valley Pipeline, challenging the “certificate of public convenience and necessity” issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Attorneys for Appalachian Mountain Advocates filed the litigation on behalf of the Sierra Club, Appalachian Voices, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, and Wild Virginia.

The groups also filed a motion to stay the start of construction given the tremendous harmful impacts posed by the 300-mile, 42-inch diameter pipeline.

Lawsuit filing
Motion to stay

FERC approved the pipeline in October in a 2-1 decision, despite the significant risks the Mountain Valley Pipeline poses to streams, rivers and drinking water sources and to treasured Appalachian landscapes, and despite evidence that existing pipeline capacity is sufficient. If built, the pipeline would cut through a 3.5-mile stretch of the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia and West Virginia, cross the Appalachian Trail at a previously undisturbed site, and cross waterways more than 1,000 times in the two states, posing a high risk of widespread water contamination. It would also significantly increase emissions that contribute to climate change, displacing public and private investments in energy efficiency, solar and other non-carbon based alternatives that cause far less environmental harm.

In response, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter Director Kate Addleson released the following statement:

“We are bringing this suit to stop the fracked gas Mountain Valley Pipeline because it threatens land, streams and rivers that are an important part of Virginia’s culture and economy. This pipeline would cause irreversible harm to our air, water, and communities, so we are evaluating every avenue we have to ensure it never gets built.”

David Sligh, Conservation Director for Wild Virginia, stated:

“The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission failed in its legal duty to assess the true costs of this project to the communities that would be harmed and the natural treasures that would be degraded or destroyed. A true accounting could not have led to the conclusion that this ill-conceived proposal is in the public interest. Citizens are forced to seek protection from the courts that we should have been afforded by FERC.”

West Virginia Rivers Coalition Executive Director Angie Rosser:

“FERC failed to follow the law; in so doing, it is recklessly sacrificing our streams, public lands and private property rights. Their refusal to fully evaluate the purpose and need of this project robs the public of benefiting from less harmful alternatives. FERC’s shoddy approval of MVP makes a mockery of their responsibility to the public interest.”

Peter Anderson, Virginia Program Manager for Appalachian Voices, stated:

“Dissenting FERC Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur concluded that this project is not in the public interest — and with good reason. Construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline would devastate communities in West Virginia and Virginia, threatening their water and permanently damaging pristine mountain landscapes to transport natural gas that is not needed. We must hold FERC accountable for failing to evaluate the need for this project in a rational manner, and for dismissing the legitimate environmental concerns outlined by its staff and the public.”

Anne Havemann, General Counsel for Chesapeake Climate Action Network, stated:

“From coastal flooding to monster hurricanes to ravaging wildfires, climate change is impacting the critical systems that support life on our planet–right now. The Mountain Valley Pipeline for fracked-gas would dramatically increase greenhouse gas emissions, while also trampling property rights, harming water quality, and permanently scarring pristine mountains. We are going to court to ask it to do what FERC failed to do — protect the public interest and halt construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline.”

Contact:

Doug Jackson, Sierra Club, 202-495-3045 or doug.jackson@sierraclub.org
Ben Luckett, Appalachian Mountain Advocates, 304.645.0125, bluckett@appalmad.org
Peter Anderson, Appalachian Voices, 434-293-6373, peter@appvoices.org
Anne Havemann, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, 240-396-1984, anne@chesapeakeclimate.org
David Sligh, Wild Virginia 434-964-7455, david@wildvirginia.org
Angie Rosser, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, 304-437-1274, arosser@wvrivers.org

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CCAN Condemns Approval for Mountain Valley Pipeline

Governor Terry McAuliffe’s Support for the MVP Pipeline Helps Doom Landowners While Dramatically Increasing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Cementing the Governor’s Negative Legacy on the Environment

Statement from Mike Tidwell, Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network:

“Terry McAuliffe has harmed farmers, consumers, drinking water, and the climate by pushing the Virginia Water Control Board to give final approval today of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The 301-mile pipeline for fracked gas constitutes a colossal misallocation of resources and will permanently harm the Governor’s economic and environmental legacies.

“Even as the on-the-ground evidence shows guaranteed harm to Virginia’s watersheds, and even as scientists sound the loudest possible warning bells on climate change, the Water Control Board gave the Governor what he asked for: a final build recommendation. This decision paves the way for the literal obliteration of mountain ridgetops, the clear-cutting of forests, and for massive trenching and tunneling across valleys for a pipeline that is not even needed and that serves only to enrich energy companies while hurting ratepayers.

Governor McAuliffe made construction of the MVP pipeline a top priority of his term and his administration testified vigorously in support of the pipeline during the Water Board’s final two-day hearing this week.

Our hope is that the Water Board, next week, will ignore the Governor’s similarly misguided support of a second gas pipeline – the Atlantic Coast Pipeline favored by controversial political donor Dominion Energy – when the Board votes on that pipeline next Tuesday.”

 
Background:
Thousands of Virginians have mobilized over the past three years to stand against the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines. See fact sheet here. Over 17,000 community members submitted comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission against the MVP during the public comment period. Activists have garnered opposition from all walks of life, from faith leaders to military veterans and more. The mobilization against the pipelines has also included civil disobedience, with 23 Virginians getting arrested outside the Governor’s mansion in 2016 and 19 arrested for barring the entrance to the Department of Environmental Quality office in Richmond this September.
The Water Control Board voted 5-2 to approve the pipeline with an amendment that attempts to preserve its right to examine stream crossings at a later date. This is an unprecedented permitting process and it’s unclear whether or not the Board’s attempt to protect water quality will be effective. 
 
CONTACT:
Mike Tidwell, Executive Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, 240-460-5838, mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org
Anne Havemann, General Counsel, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, 240-396-1984

"Water is Life Rally and Concert" in Richmond Dec. 2

It’s time for the biggest public rally ever organized against the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines. Here’s our goal: To bring so many moms and dads and farmers and students to Richmond on Saturday December 2nd that we can literally form a human ring around the Capitol building and the Governor’s mansion.
This encirclement will be the first public action against the pipelines of its kind in Virginia’s history. After the rally, we’ll stick around for a concert at “The National” theater just two blocks away.
We have to be creative and loud on December 2nd because, frankly, time is running out. The State’s Water Control Board will hold final hearings in Richmond on the MVP (Dec 6-7) and the ACP (Dec 11-12). We’ll be putting pressure on the Water Control Board with our massive rally and we’ll be telling our new governor and House of Delegates that water is life and we intend to preserve it for all our children!

RSVP today! 

http://bit.ly/stop-va-pipelines

TAKE A BUS 

The Sierra Club Virginia Chapter is providing buses from three locations: Hampton Roads, Staunton, and Northern Virginia. Here are the details:

Hampton Roads

Northern Virginia

Pickup #1: Leesburg, VA

Pickup #2: Vienna, VA

Staunton

Harrisonburg / Charlottesville

Pickup #1: Harrisonburg

  • Time: 10:30 am
  • Location: JMU Memorial Hall, 395 South High Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801. Bus stop on north side of Memorial Hall (near the softball field)
  • Charlottesville pickup location (11:15am): Giant parking Lot, Rivanna Ridge on Pantops
  • RSVP: http://vasierra.club/waterislifestauntonbus

Pickup #2: Charlottesville

Roanoke (newly added!)

FIND PARKING

Below is a map of parking in downtown Richmond. (Click here for a downloadable PDF).

 

 

The Belltower is at the intersection of 9th and Bank Street.

 

The National Theater is at the intersection of 7th and Broad Street.

 

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