When they come to offer you money for a little pipeline

I just got a nice update from one of the anti pipeline groups, and thought it might add a bit to what I've submitted thus far.

Almost five years after Dominion’s announcement of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) project, there has been NO pipeline construction in Virginia. And, according to Dominion’s own press release last week, the proposed pipeline is two years behind schedule and 50 percent over budget-- now a shocking projected $7.5 (or more) billion. The delay and expense is a result of its careless route selection and rushed permitting.  

Seven federal permits, each required for pipeline construction, are now in question and there is a major legal challenge to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) certificate of the project underway. Thursday’s ABRA Update provides details on legal challenges by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) and Appalachian Mountain Advocates to the following flawed permitting decisions:

   National Park Service—crossing the Blue Ridge Parkway NPS REVOKED ITS PERMIT

   U.S. Forest Service—crossing the Appalachian Trail, and the GW and Monongahela National Forests  VACATED

   U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—impacts to threatened and endangered species STAYED

   Army Corps of Engineers—four separate Clean Water Act permits (in the four states where the ACP and its supply header line will cross—W.Va., Va., N.C., and Pa.) for crossing streams and rivers  REVOKED

   FERC Certificate—is the pipeline even needed? CHALLENGED - to be heard in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals—Fall 2019. Both the city of Staunton and the county of Nelson have joined this SELC challenge as “friends of the court.” Click here to see Staunton’s resolution joining that legal challenge.

   Compressor Station Permit—environmental justice and air quality concerns CHALLENGED - just last Friday, February 8, SELC challenged the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board's decision to issue a permit for the ACP compressor station planned for Buckingham County, Va.

Our friends along the route of the Mountain Valley Pipeline are finally getting some relief as well. In response to the more than 300 water quality violations, the State Water Control Board voted in December to begin a process to revoke Virginia’s water quality permitting, and Virginia’s DEQ and Attorney General have filed a lawsuit against the MVP developers. Click here to see the latest article in the Roanoke Times.

Your relentless efforts, and the efforts of community members all along both pipeline routes, have brought facts to light, raised awareness, and kept the pressure on the pipeline developers.

And we need you to stay involved! We will continue to call on regulators to ensure that local water supplies are not harmed, that property rights are protected, and that our land and our communities remain safe. Keep an eye out for updates on Dominion’s effort—unsuccessful so far—to persuade Congress to remove federal protections for the Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Dominion will not be easily deterred, despite the increasing evidence that the pipeline is simply not needed.

Thanks for all you do, it’s working. This pipeline is STILL not a done deal!

PS Thanks so much to the dozens of you who attended Pipeline CSI trainings in Stuarts Drafts or Deerfield last month. There is still time to get involved. And, as always, if you need NO PIPELINE bumper stickers or signs, just let us know.

-----------------

Take note that the next big push will likely be in a congress somewhat more sensitive to environmental issues.  That of  removing the requirement for permits to cross the national forests etc.  This falls under the category of deregulation, and is definitely something to watch out for.  I believe they were trying to piggyback it onto a finance bill back in December, but of course that was never passed anyway.  It might be one of those last minute compromises slipped in when noboddy's looking, so if you get into talking with reps in congress, mentioning that you are against anything that would compromise the protection of national forests would be a good thing both for the East Coast, and  across the country.

We likely made national news tonight, Al Gore came and spoke at the local middle school with a black racial justice advocate, Rev William Barber.

I couldn't help think back to the first meeting we had with about 20 people sitting around a living room divying up jobs to start some sort of advocacy thing, but I didn't really have a clue what might happen.

I also thought about how things have twisted and turned, I would read well researched scientific papers about local geology, and then see Dominion's superficial treatment of the same topic and their major argument was "trust us, we know what we're doing"., but when asked about a recent major sediment spill at a similar pipeline site of theirs in WVa,  the guy said "we didn't know there was slippery mud there"  They thought they could say anything, do anything, and everyone would just roll over,

While it may be true that for a long time everyone did just roll over, forest service permits, court decisions , everything seemed to fall in place for them despite glaring incoherency in their presentations.  No one seemed to care.

700 showed up for this meeting   webpage

They made calls for gov Northam (recent blackface scandal)  to make ammends not just with words, but by recognizing the racist impact of this project and stopping it.

I'd love to hear if people across the country happen to see it in their news coverage.  I'm the one who shouts out "and politicians" when Gore lists what Dominion owns.

Anyway, reminded me of a pep rally, feels good to be with like minded souls, and maybe it even helps on the field the next day--Maybe.  

I found a recording of Al Gore's speech from last night, my addition is "and the politicians" referring to what Dominion owns- he acknowledges the comment, but it is somewhat difficult to make out

around minute 7:10-7:25

https://bluevirginia.us/2019/02/video-al-gore-rips-dominion-says-the-atlantic-coast-pipeline-is-a-colossal-world-class-ripoff-of-the-energy-ratepayers-in-in-the-state-of-virginia

Also found out the estimate was put up to 1100 people  not 700 as I reported earlier.

I see where this seems to be a hinge point to Northam's career, and perhaps the democrats attempted control of VA (currently predominantly a republican state.)  

With many/most democratic leaders calling for his resignation over racial slur (black face) , he suddenly has the opportunity to demonstrate he gets it, by taking action against the compressor station.

He has started a statewide tour to make amends, but with national Black figures confronting him with actions speak louder than words, and here is an instance of economic racism you have facilitated, why not give meaning to your apology by condemning the compressor station.

This would seem to be a moment of opportunity for forgiveness, both for his soul and his political career.  Of course, likely as not he could just be in that revolving door, doing Dominion's will as governor in exchange for a 7 figure consulting position with Dominion after he leaves office-- who needs to be a politician when you're rich?

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-19/northam-s-racial-reckoning-could-spell-trouble-for-pipe-project

Time Will Tell, stay tuned

I thought it would be a good idea to add a conclusion of sorts to this thread, although the idea of dealing with mega corporations invoking eminent domain continues elsewhere.

Our fight was successful, in the sense that we delayed the project with court battles long enough and the ACP /Dominion finally had it's moment of internal  truth and sold gas holdings to Warren Buffet who agreed to pay substantial debts   --likely from it's legal battles and  numerous operations done anticipating the construction.  Paying me a lease fee was one of them and The ACP has become a company with only the mission of shutting down and restoring disturbed land to it's previous condition--Warren did not buy that corporation..

The lease  fee I was paid does not have to be returned  and my land will not be disturbed by the pipeline.

that’s great!