Water Board Withdrew Motion to Revoke MVP Permit Despite Hundreds of Water Violations and Criminal Investigation
RICHMOND, VA — Today, the Virginia State Water Control Board withdrew its motion to revoke a permit of the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
Statement from Harrison Wallace, Virginia Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network:
“The State Water Control Board passed up a momentous opportunity to put an end to the environmental injustice of the fracked-gas Mountain Valley Pipeline. This project, now under criminal investigation, has been incredibly harmful to the livelihoods of scores of Virginians, but it seems that state regulators and lawyers pressured the Board into inaction.
“Even though the Board may have relinquished its opportunity to revoke the permits, the hundreds of violations, lawsuits, and pending criminal investigation of MVP warrant an immediate stop work order.
“We at CCAN call on Attorney General Mark Herring to file an emergency injunction to stop work on this project while these issues are investigated.
“We will also continue to work with our supporters and partners to highlight the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s blatant disregard for clean water along its path. We will work with our partners to monitor the pipeline and continue to address the pipeline’s shoddy permits through legal action. If justice is served, this monstrosity will never be operational.”
Background:
Thousands of Virginians have mobilized over the past five years to stand against the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines. See fact sheet here. Since construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline began, the project has racked up over 300 violations and it is now under criminal investigation.
CONTACT:
Harrison Wallace Chesapeake Climate Action Network, 804-305-1472, harrison@chesapeakeclimate.org
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, 240-630-1889, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org
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The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. For 16 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
