FERC’s recommended approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate Project is foolish & destructive

Today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s Southgate Project, which includes building 73 miles of fracked gas pipeline running from Pittsylvania County, VA, to Alamance County, NC, and constructing a new compressor station in Virginia.

In spite of indicating that the project will have ‘adverse environmental impacts,’ FERC slated the project for authorization.

In response, Food & Water Watch Virginia Organizer Stacy Lovelace released the following statement:

“It is despicable that FERC would push forward a project they acknowledge has ‘adverse environmental impacts.’ FERC's move is proof that the presence of dirty fossil fuel money is the decision-maker for federal agencies rather than protection of the public. It is foolish to assume that Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC will operate its pipeline with an eye to the health and safety of the communities surrounding it. As evidenced by a slew of heinous violations that have polluted water and threatened human life, that has not been the company’s practice in the construction of related Mountain Valley Pipeline projects to date.

“This Draft Environmental Impact Statement comes not only as a blow to those families who reside in the Southgate Project’s destructive path but also as a blow to a country where rapidly increasing global temperatures due to carbon emissions threaten us all. If we as a nation are going to cut our emissions enough to stave off the worst impacts of climate change, then fossil fuel infrastructure buildouts like this one are reckless and unacceptable. 

Governor Northam must step up now to halt this project for good. For Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC, this harmful project is just another source of profit. For Virginia’s communities, it is the difference between an inhabitable and uninhabitable landscape, and between water and air that is safe to drink and breathe.”