FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 7, 2017

Contact:
Lorne Stockman, lorne [at] priceofoil [dot] org
Kelly Trout, kelly [at] priceofoil [dot] org
David Turnbull, david [at] priceofoil [dot] org

VA State Water Control Board approves the Mountain Valley Pipeline: Oil Change International response

Today, the Virginia State Water Control Board decided to approve the Section 401 water quality certification for the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline. In response, Lorne Stockman, Senior Research Analyst with Oil Change International and Virginia resident, released the following statement:

“The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality let Virginians down today by recommending approval of the 401 permit and the State Water Control Board has accepted that recommendation. By approving the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s water permits, it has put the interests of dirty energy companies ahead of safety, water quality, the climate and our children’s future.

“Some three hundred landowners along the pipeline route in West Virginia and Virginia have not yet signed easements to allow construction on their property. The Mountain Valley Pipeline has been unable to secure zoning for crucial sites in Pittsylvania County in Virginia and Fayette County, West Virginia. Additionally, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is still considering a request to rehear the federal decision on the pipeline.

“In short, the fight against the Mountain Valley Pipeline is not over. Hundreds of Virginians circled the state Capitol last weekend, and Virginians across the state will continue to oppose this dangerous pipeline. The Mountain Valley Pipeline is a boondoggle that imperils our climate and communities. It must not be built.”

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Notes for editors: