Nearly 70 landowners in northern Bath County, VA have expressed deep concerns about the threat that the Atlantic Coast Pipeline presents to their water supplies. In an October 31 letter filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and sent to Dominion Resources, the landowners stated:
We believe that the 500-foot testing limit proposed by The Atlantic Coast Pipeline for assessing damages to wells and springs from construction and maintenance of the pipeline, access roads, and supporting structures in karst bedrock is unrealistic, and not based on sound scientific evidence. Sound scientific evidence clearly shows that due to the fragile nature of underground water channels and the interaction between surface waters and groundwaters due to sinking springs and other surface waters in karst soils that springs or wells far from the proposed pipeline are likely to be contaminated, diminished, or stopped completely from construction and maintenance activity, including blasting, the discharge of pollutants, and the spraying of herbicides.
Continuing, the landowners’ letter demands that “comprehensive water quality and water quantity assessments” be completed “within one year prior to any construction activity for the pipeline, during the construction of the pipeline, 3 months after construction of the pipeline, and once per year for 5 years following completion of the pipeline, and within 1 month of any herbicide application.” The letter also demands that the ACP develop a mitigation plan for each affected locality should a private well or spring become polluted.