“The two pipeline — one route alternative,” (Sept. 14 commentary) clearly was written by someone who only cares about western Virginia and is willing to dump on the part he doesn’t live in. He has not explored the damage the extra-wide one-route would do to land it crossed and ignores the fact that while “saving” property here, it would add to the damage there.

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline crosses twice as many acres of Virginia land as the Mountain Valley Pipeline. It requires mountaintop removal, crossing karst, and crossing the Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Trail. It threatens many historical and cultural properties. The ACP, like the MVP, proposes “mitigation” that does not preserve anything.

For example, the ACP FEIS ignores the Union Hill historical freed slave original landowner community where most land is still owned by direct descendants. The compressor station will go there and most of those descendants are “abutters.” They will get no financial compensation for their losses and will be most directly affected by the pollution, noise, and stress. If yet another pipeline was routed through the area, the compressor station would have to be made larger yet again, increasing the negative effects.

Those of us fighting the pipelines avoid such divisive suggestion. None of us want to get rid of the danger and loss by dumping it on someone else. Instead, we focus on whether the pipelines are needed at all. According to the Department of Energy, they are not. There is still capacity on the existing Transco line and minor improvements could produce all the capacity that is needed.

The ACP gas is to be used by the pipeline builders but there are no locations in Virginia where it is needed. If it is used, it will displace 20-year gas contracts on the already-paid-for Transco line. If Dominion Energy customers are forced to use the ACP, they will pay more for electricity for the 30 years required to pay for the new pipeline. The displaced gas will likely be exported, meaning loss of land and danger to Virginia communities will only benefit stockholders. Using the existing pipeline would deny stockholders that income. There is a viable solution that avoids building any pipelines. It will also make electric rates lower. That’s the solution that benefits all.

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The Roanoke Times – Irene Leech – 09.19.2017

Posted by Nelson Bailey