Delegate Lee Carter and 7 Other Virginia Officials Release Dear Colleague Letter Opposing Pipeline Expansion Projects

Richmond, VA -- Today, Virginia Delegate Lee Carter and 7 other delegates sent a letter to Governor Northam vocalizing their opposition to the problematic MVP Southgate and Transco Southeastern Trail Expansion gas pipeline projects being evaluated for construction.

Delegate Lee Carter has opposed the Trasco expansion because of its proximity to Manassas and his concern about extending one of the largest pipelines in the country.

"I applaud my colleagues for joining me on this statement opposing fossil fuel infrastructure projects that place our communities in harm's way," Delegate Lee Carter said. "We hope Governor Northam will also oppose the Transco Southeastern Trail Expansion gas pipeline project and the MVP Southgate expansion project. These proposed projects would lock us into a future of fracked gas dependency and could further pollute the air and water of Virginians.”

This letter comes a few weeks after over 50 groups also delivered a letter to the Northam administration calling on the state to deny new permits for the two pipelines as well as a new gas plant in Charles City. The groups believe these projects will only increase reliance on this dirty fossil fuel source at exactly the moment when state governments must cut it altogether to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

"We are standing proud with the Virginia delegates who see a future without a dependence on fossil fuels and the dangerous pipelines that criss cross Virginia,” said Food & Water Action Senior Organizer Jorge Aguilar. “Virginia’s regulators should take bold action to reject any permits for these pipelines and fast track Gov. Northam’s plan to get to 100% renewable energy as soon as possible."

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Food & Water Action is the political advocacy arm of the research and education organization Food & Water Watch. We mobilize people to build political power to move bold and uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water and climate problems of our time.