Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance

Fourth Circuit is Asked to Stay ACP’s Fish and Wildlife Permit

A motion to stay the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s (FWS) latest Biological Opinion and Incidental Take Statement for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) was filed November 30 with the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) on behalf of its clients: Defenders of Wildlife,

Air Board Urged to Reject ACP’s Late Efforts on Compressor Station Vote

The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board has been asked to reject eleventh-hour attempt by Dominion Energy to insert new conditions and provisions into the pending air quality permit for the project’s compressor station in Buckingham County without input from the public.

U.S. Senate Confirms Fifth Member of FERC

Bernard McNamee, Executive Director of the Office of Policy for the U.S. Department of Energy, was confirmed December 6 to be a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). His approval came on a 50-49 vote, with all Democrats voting against the nomination.

Nelson County Turns Down ACP Floodplain Variance Request

The Nelson County Board of Zoning Appeals denied on December 3, by a 3-2 vote, four of Dominion Energy’s applications for the variances to the County’s flood plain ordinance needed to construct the Atlantic Coast Pipeline across flood plains in Nelson.

Virginia to Establish a Methane Leakage Work Group

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced December 3 that it is establishing an ad hoc work group of stakeholders to develop a framework for limiting methane leakage from natural gas infrastructure. The group will support DEQ in its collection and evaluation of data to inform the regulation development process.

As ACPAs ACP Compressor Station Vote Nears, A Political Labyrinth Emerges

The last issue of ABRA Update (November 15) reported on Virginia Governor Northam’s plans to replace two members of the State Air Pollution Control Board in advance of a crucial Board vote on a permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline compressor station in Buckingham County.

Local & ACP

Northam’s struggle to explain air board move suggests it’s exactly what it appears to be

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– Virginia Mercury – 12/5/18

Regional & MVP

Congress considers changing law for pipeline crossing of Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway

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– KVPI 6 News – 12/3/18

Big Picture

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Accelerate Like a ‘Speeding Freight Train’ in 2018

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– The New York Times – 12/5/18

Our member group Dominion Pipeline Monitoring Coalition has produced a series of interactive Story Maps that take a deeper look at some of the reasons the ACP and MVP are unacceptable proposals. Click on the map image below to navigate to the full map content.