The much-anticipated hearings on Section 401 water quality certificates for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) and the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) will begin on Monday, August 7. The hearings on the applications for the two pipelines are part of a comment period that ends August 22 for written comments. Below, on the next page, is the complete schedule for the three ACP hearings and the two MVP hearings. Please attend a hearing and make your concerns known!
Atlantic Coast Pipeline:
- Monday, August 7, 2017, from 6 to 10 p.m. — James Madison University, Festival Conference and Student Center, Grand Ballroom, 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807. Parking is in Lots C11, C12, and D3.
- Thursday, August 10, 2017, from 6 to 10 p.m. — Longwood University, Jarman Auditorium, 201 High St., Farmville, VA 23901. Parking is in Wheeler Lot, Crafts Lot, High Street Lot, Randolph Lot or other university-owned lots.
- Monday, August 14, 2017, from 6 to 10 p.m. — Southside Virginia Community College, Workforce Building, Alberta Gymnasium, 109 Campus Drive, Alberta, VA
Mountain Valley Pipeline:
- Tuesday, August 8, 2017, from 6 to 10 p.m. — Radford University, Preston/Bondurant Auditorium, 801 East Main St., Radford, VA 24142. Parking is only in Lot A, or Lots E and U.
- Wednesday, August 9, 2017, from 6 to 10 p.m. — Chatham High School Auditorium, 100 Cavalier Circle, Chatham, VA 24531. Parking is only in designated areas on school property.
DEQ has posted on its website guidelines about what topics will be considered at the hearings and in written comments that are submitted. For those seeking guidance on major points to make in their testimony (3-minute limitation) or written submissions, we urge that comments be as personal as possible (e.g. how clean water is important to you and why the proposed pipeline would endanger that water). In addition, we commend to you the suggested talking points developed by ABRA members Wild Virginia and the Sierra Club – Virginia Chapter.