The report released this week by the Dominion Pipeline Monitoring Coalition describes the responses from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to a series of records requests the Dominion Pipeline Monitoring Coalition filed in the last two months to discover what evidence DEQ has to support its claims that a Corps of Engineers permit will protect Virginia waters where the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the Mountain Valley Pipeline propose to dig and blast through streams and wetlands. The report, “The Agency is Missing. . . .” is available at http://pipelineupdate.org/2018/06/07/the-science-is-missing/.
In nearly every case, according to the report, DEQ was forced to admit it had no such records, showing that it has not applied the most basic scientific protocols to ensure these waterbody crossings can meet Virginia water quality standards. Administration officials have told the Governor, the State Water Control Board, and the public that it has conducted certain investigations and analyses. However, the results of our information requests refute those claims and show promises that Virginia is relying on science to make decisions have been empty.