News

http://www.newsadvance.com/nelson_county_times/news/owner-of-historic-wingina-property-is-epitome-of-pipeline-opposition/article_1d165b8e-a1b5-11e4-af04-8750d4e07378.html

12-19-14  ACP and SHP RR10 Preliminary Draft – Final

11-30-14 Tobacco Commission Grant Above Recommended Amount – NBC29 WVIR Charlottesville, VA News, Sports and Weather.

11-30-14 Dominion in trouble for water pollution.

10-17-14 Washington Post: Gas pipeline expansion should alarm homeowners. “The Mid-Atlantic region is facing an expansion of natural gas transport infrastructure that threatens communities’ health, safety and homes.”

10-15-15 Western District of Virginia Law Blog: Legal and Political Controversy Over Proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline. The 550-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline that is projected to run through the heart of Central Virginia has generated much political controversy and is now the subject of a new federal lawsuit.

10-15-14 Wall Street Daily: Changing Gas Sources Present Rare Opportunity.  In June, Goldman Sachs forecasted that 85% of the growth in U.S. natural gas production in the next four years will come from the Appalachia region. The firm also predicts that 60% of the demand increase will come from the Gulf Coast, thanks to petrochemical and liquid natural gas projects. Not only does this mean that the pipeline flows will continue to be reversed, but that new gas pipelines will be constructed.

10-15-14 Virginia Water Central News Grouper: Potential Natural Gas Drilling and Transport in Virginia under Close Scrutiny in 2014. Annotated links to articles and references relevant to Virginia’s water resources (includes pipeline links).

Success story!

10-14-14 Insidesclimatenews.org: Michigan Citizens Rise Up and Force a Gas Pipeline to Skirt Their County.

We were there!

10-14-14 NBC29: Protesters Gather as Gov. McAuliffe Presents Energy Plan. “Many who supported McAuliffe on the campaign trail say they are outraged and flat out disappointed. Environmental activists celebrated the governor’s promises to revolutionize energy in Virginia, but things changed with a proposed natural gas pipeline.”

10-14-14 Daily Press: McAuliffe pitches energy plan. Protesters said the governor’s support for a planned new gas pipeline in the western part of the state undercuts his public support for more environmentally friendly energy plans.

10-13-14 Columbus [Ohio] Business First: Dominion Resources wants to raise $350M in pipeline IPO. Although this IPO is for the Cove Point station, the point about why companies need pipelines is interesting: “Drillers want to send natural gas overseas, where it’s more expensive, to help alleviate the glut of dry gas sparked by the shale-drilling boom in places like Texas, Pennsylvania and, to a lesser extent, Ohio.”

10-9-14 Richmond Times Dispatch: Energy policy: Friends of Nelson County oppose pipeline. Guest column by Friends of Nelson’s Charlotte Rea, responding to Robert Bradley’s Op-Ed piece on September 30.

10-6-14 Yale Environment360: With the Boom in Oil and Gas, Pipelines Proliferate in the U.S. The rise of U.S. oil and gas production has spurred a dramatic expansion of the nation’s pipeline infrastructure. As the lines reach into new communities and affect more property owners, concerns over the environmental impacts are growing.

10-5-14 Waynesboro News Virginian: Pipeline reverberates beyond the board room. “Curiosity about the ambitious project and its impact on nearly 43 miles of Augusta County and neighboring Nelson and Highland counties now include Shenandoah Valley college and high school classrooms.”

10-5-14 Staunton News Advance: Where does Rep. Hurt stand on pipeline? (Letter to the Editor by Marilyn Shifflett)

10-4-14 Washington Post: Pipeline’s path stirs opposition in Va., W.Va.  It does indeed!  The same article appeared in the Charlottesville Daily Progress on 10-5-14.

10-4-14 Charlottesville Daily Progress: Lawsuit challenges state code allowing gas companies to survey land without permission.  Further coverage of the suit filed by Nelson property owners.

10-3-14 Waynesboro News Advance: Over half of affected Augusta landowners agree to pipeline survey. “Dominion spokesman Jim Norvelle said 51.5 percent have agreed to a survey, while 32 percent have denied the utility permission to survey. Dominion is in negotiation with the remaining affected Augusta County landowners.”

10-3-14 Nashoba [MA] Publishing: Eminent domain and closed-door decisions. “Granting a private, for-profit company this type of power over the property rights of so many organizations and individuals is a matter of grave concern and one that demands intense scrutiny from officials at all levels of government.”

10-2-14 WHAG News: Controversial Myersville [MD] Natural Gas Compressor Facility Affects Sewer Line. The construction of a controversial Dominion natural gas compressor station in Myersville MD (against the community’s will) led to damage to the city’s single sewer pipeline. Told by Dominion to fix the sewer line and send a bill, the community is disappointed in the relationship with Dominion that they were told was going to be one of partnership, but feel has turned into just another job.

10-2-14 Waynesboro News Virginian: Lawsuit challenges state code allowing gas company to survey land without permission. More coverage of the suit filed by 5 Nelson property owners.

10-2-14 Cleveland.com: Federal, local emergency crews evacuating Stark County [OH] campgrounds after oil and gas leak. The pipeline is owned by Dominion East Ohio. Dominion says that their proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline would carry only “dry, pipeline-quality natural gas” but they are not willing to guarantee that.  Follow-up article from Newsnet5.com: Evacuation over, gas leak cleared at Springwood Lake Campgrounds. “The hole in the line was about the size of a nickel…. The oil coming from the ground is simply a byproduct of years of gas transportation. The leak is very small, Dominion officials said.”

10-1-14 Charlottesville Daily Progress:  Valley couple hopes pipeline does not interrupt wildlife efforts.  Habitat on their Swoope property conducive to wildlife, particularly the challenged bobwhite quail, may be threatened by the pipeline.

10-2-14 Bacon’s Rebellion: McAuliffe Dodges Mandatory Renewable Energy. “The biggest problem with the McAuliffe plan is that it dodges the issue of making Virginia’s Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) mandatory.”

10-1-14 Richmond Times Dispatch: State energy plan emphasizes renewable sources, efficiency. “The state must put in place policies that include traditional energy sources, renewable sources and energy efficiency, the plan said…. The Virginia Energy Plan drew mixed reaction from organizations interested in the increasingly contentious energy debate.”

10-1-14 WDBJ7.com: McAuliffe’s energy plan to make debut. “Gov. Terry McAuliffe has made energy a key component of his administration, promoting natural gas through the state and encouraging efficiency in response to climate change. Wednesday, the Democrat is expected to outline his energy vision for the state in great detail when he releases his energy plan for the state.”

September 2014

9-30-14 Newsplex.com: Nelson County Residents Suing Dominion to Stop Gas Pipeline. Five people in Nelson County are suing Dominion Transmission, Inc., trying to stop a gas pipeline from being put in their backyards.

9-30-14 Portland [ME] Press Herald: LePage [Maine governor] urges federal regulators to fast-track natural gas. Fast track legislation for natural gas pipelines, which has already passed the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives, would require FERC to rule on natural gas permits within one year. Failure to do so would result in automatic approval. The bill is HR 1900, and Congressman Robert Hurt voted for the legislation.

9-30-14 ThinkProgress.org: The Explosive Debate Over A New Natural Gas Pipeline Through The Northeast  ‘ “On the benefits side, I found zero benefits,” [a landowner on the route said] “Basically, they’re just passing through my land, and they’ll give me a little bit of money, and that’s it. There are no benefits and a lot of risk.” ‘

9-29-14 Roanoke Times: Utilities have too much power – Laura Berry, columnist. One family affected by both the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines writes “Your property rights have been severely damaged by the General Assembly, all of them, and it leaves us, my fellow citizens, very vulnerable.”

9-29-14 Lancaster [PA] Online: Pipeline company makes offers, up to $65,000, to property owners along proposed route. This story about a different pipeline in Pa. makes some very important points – refuse survey and refuse to negotiate. Why do pipeline companies make offers before the project is approved? “Early property acquisition basically locks in the company’s preferred route,” [Carloyn Elefant, a former FERC attorney who now represents citizens groups] said, “and forecloses meaningful consideration of alternatives as required by National Environmental Policy Act … One of the criteria that FERC evaluates in determining whether to approve a project is impact to landowners. If landowners voluntarily agree to a negotiated easement, FERC will find that they are not adversely impacted. [emphasis added] In addition, by getting landowners to commit to a route up front, the pipeline guarantees that its preferred route will be approved. So for example, if pipeline can acquire negotiated easements for all properties along pipeline Milepost 1- 2, and other owners between MP 2 and 2.5 argue for the pipeline to be moved a mile north or south, the pipeline company will say – we can’t do that – the move will adversely impact other owners and we already have the property rights for this route.”

9-28-14 Staunton News Leader: Unwise pipeline calls for people power – Robert N. Whitescarver, columnist. “The pipeline should not be built. It’s dangerous and the people don’t want it…. The immediate call to action to stop this unwise pipeline and prevent this corporate take over is to inform the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that the Atlantic Coast Pipeline should not be built.”

9-27-14 Washington Post: Nation rushes to embrace natural gas and fracking despite risks to environment – Robert McCarthey, columnist. “Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s attitude toward natural-gas ‘fracking’ seems to depend on whether it occurs somewhere that would be politically inconvenient for him.”

9-27-14 TidewaterNews: Questions asked, answered about pipeline (Franklin VA)

9-26-14 Lynchburg News Advance: Hurt remains neutral on Atlantic Coast Pipeline. “Hurt’s opponents in the Nov. 4 elections, meanwhile, are aligning in opposition to the proposed 550-mile natural gas pipeline that could cross through 13 Virginia localities, including 35 miles of Nelson County.”

9-26-14 Smithfield [NC] Herald: Landowner says no to pipeline. Letter to the editor from a NC property owner in the pipeline’s path.

9-25-14 Raleigh [NC] News Observer: Johnston County [NC] landowners get glimpse of natural gas pipeline route. Dominion’s “Open House” process continues along the pipeline route in North Carolina.

9-25-14 CounterPunch.org: Keystone East: Not as Reasonable as Reason Thinks, by Kevin Carson.

9-25-14 Waynesboro News Virginian: Supervisors make renewed request for pipeline route. “The Augusta County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to ask Dominion Resources to disclose the county landowners affected by the Atlantic Coast Pipeline route 90 days before the utility files for the project with federal regulators…. Also Wednesday, a letter was to be signed by Board Chairman Larry Wills and sent to Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe asking him to meet with the board about the pipeline.”

9-24-14 Blue Virginia:  Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline’s “Sacrifice Zones”    “For years, low-income and minority areas have been targeted to benefit corporations.”  Dominion’s route through Nelson is no exception.

9-24-14 National Geographic:  Switch to Natural Gas Won’t Reduce Carbon Emissions Much, Study Finds. Switching power plants from coal to gas will make us use more electricity and delay the dawn of renewables, a new study claims.

9-24-14 Rolling Stone: Inside the Koch Brothers’ Toxic Empire. “…concerned that unsafe pipelines could cause a deadly accident, this manager said that it was more profitable for the company to risk litigation than to repair faulty equipment. The company could “pay off a lawsuit from an incident and still be money ahead,” he said”

9-23-14 Lancaster [PA] Online: Pipeline company makes offers, up to $65,000, to property owners along proposed route. This article makes important points about why property owners should refuse to the survey and refuse to negotiate.

9-23-14 Marcellus Drilling News: Mariner East Pipeline Drilling Spills Mud in Local Creek. While drilling under a creek in PA, the drill bit hit “something solid” [like a rock?] that stopped the drill and caused “drilling mud, often called bentonite,” to leak into the creek as a grey sludge that traveled downstream. (Drilling mud is used to lubricate the drill.) “While non-toxic, a whole lot of bentonite in the water can, of course, suffocate fish and cause problems for wildlife that happen to drink it.” Why is this important? Dominion would be drilling under many, many creeks and streams in our area – all of which are Chesapeake Bay tributaries.

9-23-14 USA Today:  Look out below: Danger lurks underground from aging gas pipes:  Even small cracks or accidents can trigger a destructive explosion.  Scroll down after clicking on the link and enter your zip code to see every gas pipeline incident, death, and injury in Virginia and beyond. Click on the little circles on the map to get a description.

9-22-14 The Guardian:  Heirs to Rockefeller oil fortune divest from fossil fuels over climate change.  Heirs to Standard Oil fortune join campaign that will withdraw a total of $50bn from fossil fuels, including from tar sands funds.  This story also appeared in the New York Times on 9-21-14:  Rockefellers, Heirs to an Oil Fortune, Will Divest Charity of Fossil Fuels

9-20-14 Charlottesville Daily Progress:  Pipeline should have massive economic impact.  Article does not acknowledge that the economic impact study was commissioned by Dominion.

9-19-14 Washington Post:  The coming era of unlimited – and free – clean energy.  “Inexpensive renewable sources will provide more energy than the world needs in less than 20 years.”    “We will go from debating incentives for installing clean energies to debating subsidies for utility companies to keep their operations going.”

9-18-14 WDRB.com [Louisville KY]: Analysis: Existing cracks a cause in Kentucky pipeline blast. “The Adair County natural gas pipeline that ruptured earlier this year, triggering a massive explosion that leveled nearby homes, had ‘pre-existing’ cracks in a weld where the pipe broke, an analysis found.”

9-18-14 Highland County Recorder:  Concerns linger following gas pipeline open house

9-18-14 Waynesboro News Virginian:  Study spells out economic impact of pipeline.  More on the Chmura report commissioned by Dominion.  See also articles below, 9-16-14, from Roanoke Times and Richmond Times Dispatch.

9-17-14 Blue Virginia: Dominion Continues to Frustrate and Obfuscate Nelsonians at Open House.  Report on Dominion “Open House” in Nelson County.  (This is a far more accurate description of the event than any of the news media reports.)

9-17-14 Staunton News Leader: Dominion has underestimated our resolve. (Letter to the Editor)

9-17-14 Nelson County Times:  County’s opposition to pipeline to be considered in application.  “Nelson County supervisors passed a resolution opposing the 550-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline that would cross through the county”

9-17-14 Bacon’s Rebellion blog: The Huge Controversy Over Gas Pipelines. The blog writer is generally opposed to the pipeline, those commenting generally disagree with the writer’s position.

9-16-14 NBC10:  Report on Dominion “Open House” in Nelson County.  Emphasis on PR info provided by Dominion.

9-16-14 Charlottesville Daily Progress:  Dominion discusses aspects of pipeline project with Nelson residents.  Report on Dominion “Open House” in Nelson County.  (The same article also appeared in the Richmond Times Dispatch)

9-16-14 Roanoke Times:  McAuliffe dismays foes of Mountain Valley Pipeline, which runs through Floyd County.  “McAuliffe’s source for the economic development benefits he cited Sept. 2 was a report prepared by Chmura Economics and Analytics of Richmond. The report was commissioned by Dominion.”

9-16-14 Richmond TImes Dispatch:  Proposed natural gas pipeline could have $2.7 billion economic impact.  This report does not acknowledge that the Chmura study was commissioned by Dominion.

9-15-14 Waynesboro News Virginian:  Dominion holds pipeline open house, meets with landowners.  Report on Dominion “Open House” in Augusta County.

9-15-14 Augusta Free Press:  Dominion pipeline event brings out hundreds of Augusta County residents. Report on Dominion “Open House” in Augusta County.

9-15-14 NBS29:  Augusta Residents Share Pipeline Concerns with Dominion Reps.  Report on Dominion “Open House” in Augusta County.

9-14-14 NBS29:  Augusta and Nelson Co. Residents Want Answers about Proposed Pipeline. “County residents and members of the group Friends of Nelson say they have a host of questions they want answered from Dominion….”

9-12-14 Bristol TriCities:  Dominion Resources moves pipeline open house.  Dominion’s Augusta Open House on Sept. 15 moved to Augusta Expo so Dominion can shut out planned citizen rally.

9-12-14 Waynesboro News Virginian: Pipeline meeting moved due to protest plans

9-12-14 BlueVirginia:  “We’re Rural, Not Stupid” Part 1.  The first in “a series of [blog] posts to Blue Virginia sharing letters from Nelsonians which outline their concerns, frustrations and determination to stop the Atlantic Coast”

9-11-14 Roanoke Times:  Augusta Supervisors seek greater input on Dominion pipeline.  “Supervisors want Dominion to submit to a mock rezoning in Augusta County…. Supervisors also moved Wednesday night to ask for an audience with Gov. Terry McAuliffe about the pipeline. They are concerned that McAuliffe has endorsed the economic development potential of the project without looking at the impact on communities such as Augusta County.”

9-11-14 NBC29:  Staunton Council Calls for Resolution Opposing Dominion Pipeline.  “Councilor Erik Curren also wants Governor Terry McAuliffe to reconsider his endorsement”

9-11-14 Charlottesville Daily Progress:  Nelson supervisors formally oppose pipeline

9-11-14 Roanoke Times:  McAuliffe: No fracking in George Washington National Forest.

9-10-14 Allegheny Mountain Radio:  Coalition Forms Over Proposed Dominion Pipeline.  “A coalition of 22 organizations from across Virginia and West Virginia has formed the Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance. The Alliance formed in response to the September 2nd announcement of the Atlantic Coast Project.”  See also the press release from ABRA.

9-10-14  NBC 29 News  Terry McAuliffe’s Lunch Interrupted in Charlottesville

9-10-14  WINA Morning Show on Pipeline; Kirk Bowers, Chris Lego, Charlotte Rea

9-9-14 Western District of Virginia Law Blog: New Eminent Domain Law May Require Business-Litigation Approach To Condemnation Cases. Mark Obenshain is quoted as saying: “Property owners seeking remedies under the new legislation may petition the state for up to three years’ worth of future profits” which could be based on lost profits. Previously Virginia’s condemnation proceedings measured damage by means of real estate valuations, rather than allowing for recovery of lost profits.

9-9-14 Newsplex:  Major Gas Leak in Free Union Forced 61 Homes to Evacuate.  “They said that there is some type of corrosive action on the pipes and there is a risk down the road of a rupture of some sort”

9-8-14 Washington Post: The dangers lurking below the proposed Virginia pipeline. Letter to the Editor.

9-8-14 MetroNews [Charleston WV]:  Pipeline opposition group [in West Virginia] promises to be vocal

9-7-14 SpeakUpNelson:  Speak Up Nelson’s Updated Letter Writing Request: Write Letters to FERC in Opposition to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline

9-7-14 Waynesboro News-Virginian:  Augusta residents learn how to fight the pipeline.  The Sept 6 meeting at the Augusta County Government Center was a tutorial for county residents on how to fight and ultimately prevail against the construction of Dominion Resources’ proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

9-5-14 FoN Vice Chair Ernie Reed on Allegheny Mountain Radio, “Natural Gas Pipeline a “Game Changer” for Virginia

9-3-14 Forbes: The Popping of the Shale Gas Bubble.  Forbes analyst says, “America’s shale gas resources and reserves have been grossly exaggerated and today’s level of shale gas production is unsustainable. In fact, due the distortions of zero interest rates and other factors, an enormous shale gas bubble has developed.”

9-2-14 Charlottesville Daily Progress: Pipeline changes are for the worse.  (Letter to the Editor) “Recently, Dominion Resources Inc. changed its plans and rerouted part of the proposed path of the 450-mile Dominion Southeast Reliability Project pipeline. This new route through our public lands in the George Washington National Forest promises to be even more destructive than the first.”

9-2-14 ClimateProgress: Dominion Over Nature: Greenwashing Virginia Utility Is Member of Pro-Pollution Group ALEC

9-2-14 Media Releases from partner organizations in response to Atlantic Coast Pipeline announcement:

Southern Environmental Law Center

Augusta County Alliance

Highlanders for Responsible Development

 West Virginia Conservation Groups

August  2014

8-29-14 Staunton News Leader: REPLAY: Staunton hears pipeline discussion (Dominion at the Staunton City Council with link to the live blog coverage)

8-27-14 Pocahontas Times: Dominion representatives meet with County Commission [Pocahontas County WV]

8-27-14 C-Ville Weekly:  Digging in: Inside Nelson residents’ fight to stop Dominion’s pipeline through the Blue Ridge. Extensive coverage of the Dominion proposal and of Nelson residents’ opposition.

8-26-14 Staunton News Leader: Why do Dominion’s wants trump all we hold dear.  So why does Dominion expect Virginia to relinquish her history, her heritage, her tourist trade and her water supply while they experiment with forcing their pipeline through her heart?

8-26-14 Staunton News Leader: New Dominion corridor brings new concerns. Augusta residents consider responses to Dominion.

8-26-14 Staunton News Leader: Valley can still win pipeline fight with Dominion

8-25-14 Staunton News Leader:  Legislators allow Dominion to trump Constitution. Letter to the Editor from Augusta County Supervisor Tracy Pyles invites people to an information session with topics concerning process, environment, dangers, “public good” and what we can do to assert ourselves. Meeting will be at 9 a.m. Saturday Sept 6 at the Augusta County Government Center.

8-25-14 NBC News:  Danger Beneath: ‘Fracking’ Gas, Oil Pipes Threaten Rural Residents.  “A construction boom of pipelines carrying explosive oil and natural gas from “fracking” fields to market — pipes that are bigger and more dangerous than their predecessors — poses a safety threat in rural areas, where they sometimes run within feet or yards of homes with little or no safety oversight, an NBC News investigation has found.”

8-25-14 Richmond Times Dispatch: Va. lawmakers accepted $260,000 in gifts, trips. ” Dominion topped the list of gift givers, spending $30,058 on lawmakers – about $14,000 more than the next largest benefactor…”

8-24-14 MetroNews Network [Charleston WV]:  Dominion sharing potential pipeline plans with local governments. (In Nelson, Dominion has not shared much in the way of concrete plans and definitive answers!)

8-22-14 Connect-Clarksburg [WV]: Dominion Proposing Pipeline Running from Harrison County to North Carolina. Dominion dismisses landowners who object to Dominion taking their property rights as an “interest group.” “‘We are experiencing some issues in the mountain counties,’ Orndorff said, noting that line currently is proposed to go through Lewis, Upshur, Barbour, Randolph and Pocahontas counties in West Virginia. ‘There are some interest groups that don’t want us there.’”

8-22-14 Staunton News Leader:  Dominion wants to be a good neighbor.
Letter to the Editor by Chet Wade (Vice President – Dominion Corporate Communications, Richmond) explains why (in his view) Dominion is such a good neighbor and why it is in a property owner’s best interests to allow access for surveying.

8-21-14 Staunton News Leader:  Gas pipeline seeking path of least resistance?  Why has Dominion proposed an alternate route through Augusta County?

8-21-14 Highland County Recorder: A compilation of the articles, editorial, and letters in the Highland County Recorder for August 21, 2014 about the Highlanders for Responsible Development public meeting on August 19. Presentations and articles note the difficulty of building pipelines in mountainous terrain like that found in the Alleghenies. It is an indisputable fact that there has never been a 42-inch pipeline built in the Alleghenies by anyone. Dominion has also stated that they have not built a 42-inch pipeline anywhere much less through karst and mountainous terrain.

8-20-14 Nelson County Times:  A closer look: Residents still seek pipeline answers.  Article on Dominion ‘s August 12 presentation to the Nelson Board of Supervisors. Includes photo gallery.

8-20-14 Nelson County Times:  In Augusta County, Dominion discusses safety.  Article on Dominion’s August 13 presentation to the Augusta Board of Supervisors.

8-19-14 LancasterOnline:  Pipeline rage: Hundreds of Lancaster County [PA] residents swarm federal agency with environmental concerns about pipeline

8-15-14 Waynesboro News Virginian:  Dominion details inspections, monitoring of pipeline.  Article identifies Frank Mack as the manager of Dominion Transmission Communications and attributes the following words to him:  “Though no operator can assure or guarantee safety…”  Not comforting words if one’s property is proposed to be in the path of a proposed high pressure 42 inch gas transmission pipeline.

8-14-14 Waynesboro News Virginian:  Dominion answers Augusta County on pipeline project

8-13-14 NBC 29:  Augusta Residents Ask Dominion Reps about Pipeline

8-13-14 Staunton News Leader:  Dominion hears earful from [Augusta] county crowd

8-13-14 Staunton News Leader video from August 13 pipeline meeting

8-13-14 Charlottesville Daily Progress:  Nelson County Residents Protest Pipeline

8-13-14 Richmond Times Dispatch:  Large crowd on hand for meeting in Nelson on pipeline

8-13-14 ABC13:  Dominion meets with Nelson County residents, lays out pipeline plan

8-12-14 Neswplex (Channel 19):  Nelson County residents show strong opposition to gas pipeline

8-12-14 NBC29:  Dozens attend Nelson Supervisors’ meeting with Dominion rep

8-12-14 Roanoke Times:  Nelson County residents want answers about pipeline

8-12-14 WDBJ7 Utility company shares details about proposed pipeline in Nelson County

8-12-14 Baltimore Sun:  Cove Point zoning exemption overturned. A Calvert County MD circuit judge has overturned the Southern Maryland county’s decision to exempt Dominion’s proposed Cove Point liquefied natural gas export facility from local zoning regulations.

8-11-14 NBC 29: People in Nelson Prepare to Hear from Dominion Rep

8-11-14 WMRA’s Virginia Insight program on August 11:  Tom Graham talks with Ernie Reed (Wild Virginia and Friends of Nelson), Nancy Sorrells (Shenandoah Valley Network and Augusta County Alliance), Dan Holmes (Piedmont Environmental Council), and Jim Norvelle (Dominion and Southeast Reliability Pipeline Project).  [51 minute audio]

8-11-14 Charlottesville Daily Progress:  Counties beyond Nelson seek Dominion pipeline proposal answers

8-10-14 NBC 29: Nelson County Supervisors Meet With Dominion About Natural Gas Pipeline

8-8-14 Staunton News Leader:  Dominion plans public outreach on pipeline.  Although Dominion will not answer questions from the public at meetings with county officials, the company plans to have more personal dialogue with the public during a series of public meetings scheduled for September.

8-7-14 Concerns on proposed Dominion pipeline discussed at Randolph County WV Commissioners meeting.

8-7-14 Spectra suspends pipeline proposal : The Highland County Recorder reports on suspension of Spectra’s north/south pipeline proposal.

8-7-14  The Recorder reports on Dominion’s presentation on August 5 to the Highland County Board of Supervisors.  (For audio of the meeting and follow-up questions, see the Meeting Reports page).

8-7-14 Lancaster [PA] Online: Update: Pipeline company bans survey crew for trespassing incidents; residents respond. Williams, the pipeline company, “acknowledged that the trespassing incidents did happen as landowners had alleged.”

8-6-14 Pennsylvania residents ask questions about pipelines (useful questions for landowners to consider) in these articles from the Lebanon Daily News (8-6-14) and the LancasterOnline (8-4-14).

8-5-14 A new report from the non-profit group Ceres shows Dominion Resources, the parent of Dominion Virginia Power, winning last place among investor-owned utilities on a nationwide ranking of renewable energy sales and energy efficiency savings. The link is to the blog post by Ivy Main (State Sierra Club Chair) about the report. For the full report, go here.

8-4-14 Allegheny Mountain Radio reports on meetings planned on the pipeline route in Pocohontas County WV and Highland County VA.

8-2-14 Charlottesville Daily Progress:  Proposed pipeline a “public” need?  ” Virginia and federal laws allow utility companies to take your property using eminent domain under the guise of ‘public use.’ I also found the public has no say in what is considered ‘public use.’”

July 2014

7-29-14 Gazette Virginian: With 100 miles of 24″ pipeline, Williams will expand existing Transco pipeline in Southside Expansion Project, beginning in Pittsylvania County. It is primarily designed to fuel Dominion Virginia Power’s new 1,300-megawatt electric power plant planned in Brunswick County.

7-27-14  NBC 29: Three Groups Opposed to a Natural Gas Pipeline Form a Front to Stop Plans

7-27-14 RSN – Reader Supported News: Inspector General: EPA Is Failing to Stop Methane Leaks From Pipelines. The report, published on July 27 by the EPA’s Inspector General, stated that in 2011, more than $192 million worth of natural gas was lost due to leaks in pipelines. Read the full report here.

7-26-14 Waynesboro News Virginian: “Pipeline raises questions, some answers”

7-24-14 Farmville Herald “Questioning the Pipeline Placement”

7-22-14  Farmville Herald “Pipeline Raises Concerns”<

7-22-14 WVTF 88.5FM NPR  “Fighting the Backyard Pipeline”

7-21-14 Lancaster [PA] Online: Furor over gas pipeline not unique to Lancaster County.   About Nelson County.

7-20-14 Charlottesville Daily Progress: Gas Pipeline Raises Property-Rights Questions

7-17-14 Boston Globe reports on opposition to a proposed pipeline through Massachusetts

7-15-14 WAMU Washington, DC Diane Rehm Show on Pipelines and Property Owners (must listen)

7-10-14 Highland County Recorder: Nelson County Demands Info

7-10-14 Highland County Recorder: Counties Deserve Details

7-4-2014  Interview with Ernie Reed (Friends of Nelson and Wild Virginia) Brad Savage and Adrienne Ramsey (Wingina Resident) on July 4, 2014 “Backyard Revolution”, 106.1 the Corner:  Dominion Pipeline

June 2014

6-26-14 Waynesboro News Virginian: Augusta, Rockbridge, Rockingham Residents Sound off Against Pipeline

6-12-14 Highland County Recorder Article  (this is an especially detailed and good overview of the issue)

6-11-2014 LancasterOnline:  Pipeline concern: 1,100 swarm gas pipeline open house in Millersville [PA]. People in Millersville were critical of the open house format and the lack of a chance for citizens as a group to ask Williams questions about their concerns. Dominion describes the upcoming 16 September Open House at the Nelson Center as an opportunity for “citizen input,” but that was not the case in Pennsylvania.

6-10-14 Op-Ed in Waynesboro News-Virginian “Still Concerned about Pipeline”

6-7-14 NBC29 Coverage of June 8th Community Meeting

6-7-14 Charlottesville Newsplex coverage of June 8th Meeting

6-6-14 WDTV 5 News West Virginia (TV footage about start of pipeline in Upshur or Lewis Counties)

6-6-14 Victory for Delaware Riverkeeper/NJ Sierra Club in pipeline fight

6-6-14 Blue Ridge Life online article

6-3-14 Staunton News Leader article

May 2014 and earlier

5-30-14 WSET 13 Lynchburg, Danville, Roanoke TV Coverage

5-28-14 Lynchburg News & Advance article

5-27-14 Roanoke Times article

5-8-2014 AppalachianVoices:  Look out Cleveland: Shareholders, activists converge on Dominion annual shareholder meeting.  Activists in Ohio and shareholders from throughout Dominion Virginia Power’s service area including Virginia converged on Cleveland on Wednesday May 7, to greet the company’s CEO, Thomas Farrell, board and shareholders as they gathered for Dominion Resources’ annual meeting. At the meeting inside, “Dominion faced unprecedented levels of shareholder concern over the financial and environmental risks of expanding its dirty energy portfolio.”

Important Victory for Texas Landowners in Eminent Domain Case.  A 4-20-2014 posting on the Texas Agriculture Law Blog from Texas A&M discusses a Texas ruling that awarded compensation to a landowner for the actual value of the easement sought for a gas pipeline, but also for “remainder damages,” the adverse monetary impact of the easement on the remaining land.

3-25-2014  WFPL News (Louisville KY) reports on the ruling by a judge in Kentucky who ruled that Bluegrass pipeline companies don’t have power of eminent domain.  Another report:  3-25-14 Lexington (KY) Herald: Judge: Bluegrass Pipeline developers can’t use eminent domain. “Bluegrass Pipeline Co. cannot use eminent domain to take private property for construction of a natural gas liquids pipeline through Kentucky.”  The judge “held that the power of eminent domain is “an essential attribute of a sovereign government” that cannot be delegated to a private company such as Bluegrass Pipeline “without a clear legislative mandate that such a delegation is in the public interest.”

3-24-2014 Yahoo! Finance:  Texas Landowners Win $2.1 Million Judgment Against Pipeline Company Over Lower Property Value. Case marks third landowner victory in pipeline easement disputes. “This verdict sends a strong message that pipeline easements often cause significant damages to property beyond the easement area.” In Virginia, we have a constitutional right to seek just compensation for property damages beyond the easement area.

9-9-2010  Live local news coverage by CBS News of a huge gas-line explosion in a residential neighborhood in San Bruno, California. Thursday, September, 9, 2010, 7:08PM.  This is “clean burning gas” in a 30″ pipe, 90 minutes before PG&E turned off the flow.