By Elizabeth E. Payne
On May 24, Virginia’s state environmental regulatory agency conceded that information it had provided about how it would evaluate the potential water quality impact of two natural gas pipelines was inaccurate.
In early April, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality announced that it would require the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines to detail the impact of each individual stream or wetland crossing. Now, it says that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will assess the crossings.
The change worries many citizens and environmental groups concerned about the impact of the proposed pipelines.
The Sierra Club filed a petition asking the State Corporation Commission to determine whether Dominion Virginia Power’s purchasing agreements for natural gas from the Atlantic Coast Pipeline are subject to the Virginia Affiliates Act.
The law stipulates that public service corporations must obtain permission from the state before doing business with an affiliated company. The law may apply because Dominion Virginia Power’s parent company, Dominion Resources, is a partner in the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
In West Virginia, the state’s Department of Environmental Protection denied a request to hear an appeal filed by three citizens and Appalachian Mountain Advocates, an environmental law firm. The appeal challenged DEP’s certification that the Mountain Valley Pipeline wouldn’t violate the state’s water quality standards.
Related Articles
Latest News
More Stories
Neighbors Help Neighbors
A photo essay that celebrates the volunteer spirit of the grassroots group Hurricane Helene WNC and speaks to the resourcefulness, collaboration and hard work embodied by thousands and thousands of volunteers, first responders and aid workers across the region after Hurricane Helene.
Halloween Approaches, and Night School Is in Session
The House of Art in Bluefield, West Virginia, looks like a haunted tower, making it the perfect location for its sixth annual haunt event: Night School. The Night School will be open every Friday and Saturday night through Oct. 31.
‘The Most Perfect Act of Love’
Hundreds of people attended the second annual Affirming Sumner Pride celebration on a 24-acre farm dubbed “Fruity Farm” in Bethpage, Sumner County, Tennessee.
Signs of Life: Endangered Bats Found in Nantahala for First Time in More Than a Decade
In the Nantahala National Forest, a team of biologists spotted Indiana bats, an endangered species that hasn’t been seen in North Carolina for the last 11 years.
‘First Line of Defense’
During Hurricane Helene and its aftermath, rural fire departments and other first responder hubs played critical roles in keeping their communities safe, even without power and cut off from outside support for days or weeks after the storm. Two years later, plenty of work remains to ensure these hubs have the resources they need to operate day to day and be ready when emergencies or natural disasters strike.
The Rocky Road — and Bridge — to Recovery
Hurricane Helene is estimated to have damaged nearly 7,000 private roads and bridges in Western North Carolina. Two years later, many restoration projects are complete, but the journey hasn’t been easy — and isn’t over for others.
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Leave a Comment