Important Win For Atlantic Coast Pipeline
Last week, the Virginia State Water Control Board (VSWCB) let stand previously-issued federal water quality permits for water crossings for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
As Connecting the Dots reported at the time, in May the VSWCB had taken the unprecedented step of re-opening a public comment period questioning whether previously-issued Army Corps water crossing permits were adequate to protect the state’s water quality.
In response, the Energy Equipment and Infrastructure Alliance, the Metals Service Center Institute, and dozens of other trade associations sent a letter to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam objecting to the board’s departure from established practice and pointing out that the resulting uncertainty in the project permitting process “would impair private investment in much-needed infrastructure projects and damage the State of Virginia’s reputation as a good place to do business.”
This week the VSWCB agreed, voting 4-3 to let the current permits stand.