Public outrage continues to build in opposition to the proposed Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines. Groups across the state are meeting frequently to stay informed about the scoping processes, support landowners in the paths of the proposed pipelines and share the potential harmful effects these projects could have if they are allowed to move forward.
On April 21st, Politico published a lengthy investigative piece entitled, “Pipelines Blow Up and People Die”, bringing pipeline safety issues front in center in the national political conversation about energy. At the beginning of April, CCAN and anti- pipeline coalition partners delivered over 5,000 messages to Governor McAuliffe’s office urging him to rescind his support for the project.
Virginians across the state are coming together and the message is clear: no new fracked gas pipelines! Take action now by submitting a public comment to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in opposition to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline here. We have until April 28th to weigh in with FERC on the proposed scope of its environmental review of the project, and demand that the agency consider all of the possible impacts to our communities and climate.
In the battle against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, opponents are calling for an extension to this April 28th deadline. Groups in Nelson, Augusta and Buckingham Counties, along with thousands of concerned citizens and U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), have submitted requests to allow more time for the comment period, and to hold further meetings in communities that will be impacted by the project.
The senators’ joint letter to new FERC chairman Norman Bay highlighted the frustration Virginians have faced so far during the scoping process:
“As discussed, our offices received multiple accounts of discrepancies between these meetings announced start times and the times at which people could sign up to speak. Some constituents commuted significant distances after full days of work arrived to discover that speaking slots had been claimed hours earlier.”
Communities in the path of these projects will not be silenced and CCAN will continue to work with coalition partners to organize against them.
The next step you can take to get involved is to attend a FERC scoping meeting for the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline. FERC announced on April 17 that it will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Mountain Valley Pipeline and, like for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, will first consider public input on the scope of this review. There are two scheduled meetings in Virginia:
Tuesday May 5, 7:00 p.m.
Eastern Montgomery High School
4695 Crozier Road, Elliston, VA 24087
Thursday May 7, 7:00 p.m.
Chatham High School
100 Cavalier Circle, Chatham, VA 24531
See you there and thanks for staying involved! Please reach out to Lauren Goldman, Virginia Campaign Coordinator to get involved at Lauren@chesapeakeclimate.org.
