Official Statements of Concern about the Impacts of Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline
Local and State Boards and Commissions
Official action expressing opposition to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline
- Bath County Board of Supervisors (Va.) – 5/11/2016
- Staunton City Council (Va.) – 10/23/2014
- Nelson County Board of Supervisors (Va.) – 9/9/2014
Official action expressing opposition to the new (Feb 2016) route
- Augusta County Board of Supervisors (Va.) – 4/12/2016
- Virginia Outdoors Foundation – 4/7/2016
Official expressions of concern: A number of elected and appointed governmental boards, councils, and commissions have expressed concerns regarding the construction and operation of the proposed pipeline in their communities.
- Augusta County Board of Supervisors (Va.)
- Letter to FERC detailing concerns and disagreement with data and conclusions of the ACP Draft Environmental Impact Statement – 3/28/2017
- Letter to Virginia Outdoors Foundation stating that pipeline route through protected private land (Berry conservation easement) is not consistent with County Comprehensive Plan – 4/27/2016
- Concern about private wells and affected landowners’ options for recourse; requests extensive groundwater assessment and monitoring – 12/9/2015
- Entered into contract with Coordination America – 10/29/2015
- Commissioned Assessment of Augusta County as a Headwaters Zone and Associated Risk Posed by Pipeline Construction – 2/23/2015
- Resolution concerning impacts to businesses, residences, churches, and schools along route; public safety within “blast zone,” agriculture, and natural resources – 9/10/2014
- Augusta County Service Authority
Threat to water and sewer infrastructure and landfill – 12/10/2016
- Bath County Board of Supervisors
Requests that FERC perform a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS), evaluating the need for new pipelines and the merits of the many proposed projects in the region – 6/1/2016
- Headwaters Soil and Water Conservation District
Raises concerns about blasting near flood control dams and sediment and erosion control – 12/17/2015
- Highland County Board of Supervisors (Va.)
Numerous concerns including burden to fire and rescue, impacts to agricultural and tourism industry, karst and water resources, quality of life impacts – 4/27/2015
- Monterey Town Council (Va.)
Risks to source water and municipal water system – 4/23/2015
- Nelson County Board of Supervisors (Va.)
- Petitions FERC to comply with National Preservation Historic Act of 1966 – 9/11/2015
- Requests public access to Soil and Erosion Plans – 7/14/2015
- Requests extension of scoping period – 4/10/2015
- Reaffirms opposition, seeks co-location with existing rights-of-way and to minimize use of eminent domain – 3/10/2015
- North Carolina Utilities Commission (N.C.)
Supports project, but objects to 14% return on equity as inadequately supported and not reflective of current market conditions – 10/23/2015
- Pocahontas County Board of Supervisors and Convention and Visitor Bureau (W.Va.)
Requests public scoping meeting and expresses concerns about pipeline effects on local tourism-based economy – 3/23/2016
- Randolph County Commission (W.Va.)
Randolph County Commission Comments to FERC – 4/10/2016
- Staunton City Council, City of Staunton, Va.
- Letter to FERC detailing objection to the ACP project overall, and specifically to the threat posed by the project to a critical public water source – 2/21/2017
- Statement to FERC supporting Augusta County in its expression of concern about the new, longer, more disruptive proposed route for the pipeline 5/24/2016
- Resolution of the Council of the City of Staunton, Virginia in Opposition to Atlantic Coast Pipeline – 10/23/2014
- Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District
Risk of construction on steep, unstable slopes, forest clearing and sediment and erosion impacts – 12/5/2014
- Virginia Cave Board
Concerns about impacts on fragile karst ecosystems, significant cave systems, water-related issues – 4/17/2015
Localities seeking an improved public process and participation
Most of the localities listed above have made numerous requests to Dominion, FERC, elected officials on the state and federal levels, state and federal agencies, and to the Governor of Virginia requesting broader opportunities for public involvement, input, and the ability to have questions answered. Several local boards and commissions have registered as interveners in the FERC process as well as they seek more empowerment in the process for local governments and citizens who are directly impacted by the proposed pipeline.
Virginia Elected Officials
A number of Delegates and Senators in the Virginia General Assembly have requested that FERC conduct a single, comprehensive analysis of the multiple pipeline proposals that would affect the state, known as Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS).
- Lamont Bagby, Virginia House of Delegates, D-74th District – 12/16/2015
- Betsy Carr, Virginia House of Delegates, D- 69th District – 12/1/2015
- Creigh Deeds, Virginia Senate, D- 25th District – 11/6/2015
- Adam Ebbin, Virginia Senate, D- 30th District – 5/11/2016
- Barbara Favola, Virginia Senate, D- 31st District – 5/19/2016
- Steve Heretick, Virginia House of Delegates, D-79th District – 3/22/2016
- Kaye Kory, Virginia House of Delegates, D- 38th District – 5/16/2016
- Paul Krizek, Virginia House of Delegates, D- 44th District – 1/29/2016
- Alfonzo Lopez, Virginia House of Delegates, D- 49th District – 5/17/2016
- Manoli Loupassi, Virginia House of Delegates, R- 68th District – 11/17/2015
- Jennifer McClellan, Virginia House of Delegates, D- 71st District 2/16/2016
- Sam Rasoul, Virginia House of Delegates , D- 11th District
- Marcus Simon, Virginia House of Delegates, D- 53rd District – 5/13/2016
- Rip Sullivan, Virginia House of Delegates, D- 48th – 5/20/2016
- David Toscano, Virginia House of Delegates, D- 57th District – 11/24/2015
- Tony Wilt, Virginia House of Delegates, R- 26th District – 1/14/2016
A number of Delegates and Senators in the Virginia General Assembly have expressed concern over the FERC process and have introduced bills or sent communications containing comments and suggestions on how to improve the public participation and process.
- Richard (Dickie) Bell, Virginia House of Delegates, R- 20th District
and Richard Bell’s letter to FERC – 1/7/2014 - Ben Cline, Virginia House of Delegates, R- 24th District – 3/1/2016
- Creigh Deeds, Virginia Senate, D- 25th District 3/9/2016
- Gregory Habeeb, Virginia R- 8th District (MVP) – 1/20/2016
- Emmett Hanger, Virginia Senate, R- 24th District
- Steve Landes, Virginia R- 25th District – 6/11/2015
Delegates and Senators making up the Western Caucus of the Virginia General Assembly have expressed concern over the expedited review of impacts to Virginia waters due to the construction and operation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Mountain Valley Pipeline. The letters urge Governor McAuliffe and Virginia DEQ to perform a thorough review and not to take shortcuts that would put Virginia waters and constituents at risk.
Some have also written individual letters to DEQ regarding the 401 certification process and timeline.
- Senator John Edwards, Virginia Senate, D- 21st District – 7/27/2017
- Senator Emmett Hanger, Virginia Senate, R- 24th District – 8/3/2017
- Richard (Dickie) Bell, Virginia House of Delegates, R- 20th District – 7/29/2017
- Gregory Habeeb, Virginia House of Delegates, R-8th District &
Joseph Yost, Virginia House of Delegates, R-12th District – 6/14/2017 - Steve Heretick, Virginia House of Delegates, D-79th District – 7/11/2017
- Steven Landes, Virginia House of Delegates, R-25th District – 8/7/2017
- Sam Rasoul, Virginia House of Delegates, D- 11th District – 7/18/2017
- David Toscano, Virginia House of Delegates, D- 57th District – 5/25/2017
- Joseph Yost, Virginia House of Delegates, R-12th District – 8/21/2017
Federal Elected Officials
A number of U.S. Congressmen and U.S. Senators have requested that FERC conduct a single, comprehensive analysis of the multiple pipeline proposals that would affect the state. (Often called a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement)
- Bob Goodlatte, U.S .House of Representatives, R-6th District, Va. – 12/9/2015
- Morgan Griffith, US House of Representatives, R-9th District, Va. – 12/9/2015
- Robert Hurt, US House of Representatives, R-5th District, Va. – 12/9/2015
A number of U.S. Congressmen and U.S. Senators have expressed concern over the FERC process and have sent communications containing comments and suggestions on how to improve the public participation and process.
- Bob Goodlatte, U.S. House of Representatives, R-6th District, Va.
- Shares citizen concerns over Bath County route – 3/30/2016
- Shares citizen concerns over Shenandoah Mountain route – 11/18/2015
- Robert Hurt, U.S. House of Representatives, R-5th District, Va.
- Response to FERCs denial – 5/21/2015
- Requests additional meetings during scoping period – 4/16/2015
- Raul Grijalva, U.S. House of Representatives, D-AZ; Committee on Natural Resources – 11/23/2015
- Chris Van Hollen, U.S. House of Representatives, D-8th District, Md.
- Requests response to citizen submission – 6/10/2016
- Requests response to citizen submission – 3/23/2016
- John Sarbanes, U.S. House of Representatives, D-3rd District, Md. – 3/28/2016
- Mark Warner, U.S. Senate, D-Va.
- Requests additional hearings in Nelson and Augusta counties – 4/20/2015
- Expresses concern over scoping hearing – 3/23/2015
- Tim Kaine, S. Senate, D-Va.
- Expresses concerns about ACP impacts – 8/24/2015
- Expresses concerns about MVP impacts – 7/28/2015
- Requests additional hearings in Nelson and Augusta counties – 4/20/2015
- Expresses concern over scoping hearing – 4/7/2015