Educate, Advocate, Influence

After enormous speculation about when Dominion Resources, Inc. would file their application to construct the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, Dominion officially filed a Certificate Application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on September 18, 2015. Dominion began the pre-filing process on November 13, 2014, since which time Wild Virginia has teamed up with environmental and citizen groups across West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina to spread awareness about the disastrous consequences of the proposed 564-mile pipeline. And now that Dominion has filed the Certificate Application, we need your help more than ever to keep the Pipeline out of the George Washington National Forest–and off the map entirely.Â

Starting from the date the application was filed (9/18/15), the anyone can become an intervenor in the FERC process, a status which allows you to submit comments to FERC, file briefs, and appear before a court. This process is not just for those who own property along the pipeline route. Remember, our Nation’s public lands belong to all of us, so we all have a stake in preserving the watershed and natural resources of the George Washington and Monongahela National Forests.  We’ll be the first to tell you the process is slightly confusing, so Wild Virginia is assembling a guide to help you register as an official FERC intervenor.Â

Early next week, we’ll be checking back in with you with a guide to help you construct and submit your comments to FERC. Take this weekend to think about the story you can tell. What’s your favorite memory in the George Washington National Forest? How would that story change if there were a pipeline running through the middle of the park threatening safety, lung health, and water quality? (More on dangers of natural gas here and our concerns about the pipeline here) What about a time you enjoyed the pristine beauty of the Appalachian Mountains while hiking the Appalachian Trail? To maximize the effect of our campaign in FERC, we’ll need to pair our personal experiences with concrete facts about the dangers of natural gas infrastructure. Don’t worry–we’ll help you out with a list of key facts and figures in next week’s email.

Wild Virginia continues to push with our partners for a  Regional or “Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement” which would require FERC to consider the multiple pipeline projects in our area, and their impacts, together. Â

We will be sending more information out early next week on how you can add your voice and help with our call.