“Based on the information available at the time of this review, the requirements established in this draft permit make BCS the most stringently controlled compressor station in Virginia and in the United States. The pollutant limits and monitoring requirements in the BCS draft permit are more restrictive than the permits already issued by West Virginia and North Carolina for two similar stations to be located along the ACP.” From DEQ website, updated October 26, 2018; DEQ documents have been transmitted to the State Air Pollution Control Board for their consideration during the November 8 and November 9 board meeting.

That the DEQ thinks the BCS is the best in class is cold comfort for us, knowing well how truly toxic all compressor stations are, and this one is a monster at 54,000 + hp, compared to industry standards of around 12,000 hp, placed every 40-60 miles. This station, which would be the capstone to the ACP, would do irreparable harm to our local health, economy, environs, and contribute massively to green house gases, further darkening climate crisis forecasts for today and the future.

The State Air Pollution Control Board [SAPCB] are well within their means to deny this permit.

Suzanne Keller, retired VDH epidemiologist, “The DEQ is trying to control what the Board sees and hears because they don’t want the Board to raise substantive objections to the air permit when it comes forward for consideration.  DEQ’s role is to approve permits according to law and regulation.  As we have seen with the SWCB [State Water Control Board], DEQ does not believe the narrative laws apply, they only think they must comply with regulation standards. ”

Please see recent posts, including Southern Environmental Law Center’s memo to the SAPCB advising the air board must deny this permit, therefore abiding by their own statutes.

Only those persons who submitted official public comments on the draft permit between August 8 and September 21, 2018 may address the board.  If you are not able to comment, your very welcome presence shows support and solidarity. These meetings are also a way for all of us to hear each other, our growing and very extended family.

Air Pollution Control Board meetings

When: Nov. 8 and 9, at 9:30 AM; doors open 8:30 AM
Where: Greater Richmond Convention Center
Exhibit Hall Building, Exhibit Hall B, Richmond, 23219. [Entrance is from 5th Street] 

Solidarity Activities

What: We are all Union Hill Press Conference *[scroll down for more details]
When: Thursday, Nov. 8, 8 AM
Where: Third Street Bethel A.M.E. Church
614 N 3rd Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Also: Free Lunch, 11/8  only. We’ll have free lunch offered by RVA Food not Bombs, back at the church on Thursday whenever the air board decides the lunch break will be for the day.
Huge Thanks to: Kay Ferguson and friends for organizing!

What: Morning solidarity gathering
When: Friday, Nov. 9 at 8:30 AM
Where: Festival Park (directly across from the 5th street entrance to the Greater Richmond Convention Center)
Join us to show solidarity with Union Hill and feel our unity before the final day of the air board meeting. Coffee and snacks will be available.
Deep Thanks to: VA Sierra Club for organizing!

Please see more details below commenting section.

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Commenting

The public may comment directly to the air board on Thursday, Nov 8. Doors should open at 8:30 AM for folks to start signing up to comment and the meeting starts at 9:30. Everyone who has commented during DEQ’s public comment period gets 3 minutes to comment unless you wish to sign up to volunteer your time to someone else to get up to 15 minutes to talk. If you’d like to offer up your time for someone else to comment for longer, please contact Lara Mack at lara@appvoices.org  or call or text: (540) 246-9720

Here is a summary of comments that were sent to DEQ– please feel free to use it as a resource for your comment. Please share this link widely as well!

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“We Are All Union Hill” Press Conference
Thursday, November 8, 8:00am
Third Street Bethel A.M.E. Church, 614 N 3rd St, Richmond 23219

The “We Are All Union Hill” press conference will immediately precede the public hearing by the Air Pollution Control Board on the draft air permit for the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) compressor station.

The press conference is a collaboration of 52 environmental, arts and community groups and will feature Union Hill voices including Pastor Paul Wilson, pastor of the Union Hill Union Grove Baptist Church; Chad Oba, Director of Friends of Buckingham; and Richard Walker, landowner and Founder/CEO of Bridging the Gap in Virginia.

Additional speakers standing with Union Hill to challenge of the draft air permit for the proposed ACP compressor station in Buckingham County will be:

• Greg Buppert, The Southern Environmental Law Center
• Kevin Chandler, President, Virginia State Conference NAACP
• Virginia Delegate, Jennifer Carroll Foy (2nd District)
• Andrea Miller, Virginia Poor People’s Campaign
• Virginia Delegate, Elizabeth Guzman (31st District)
• Rev. Dr. Harris, Governor’s Advisory Council on Environmental Justice

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Statewide – Lights Out, It’s a Power-Fast
VA Interfaith Power and Light article
Friday, November 9, 12:01am – 11:59pm
Register your household, faith community, or organization.

VAIPL and New Community Project call on all Dominion customers to join the Power-Fast to stand in solidarity with the African American freedmen’s community of Union Hill located in Buckingham County, Virginia—erased, forgotten, and targeted by Dominion as it puts profits over people by expanding its polluting fossil fuel infrastructure. The State Air Pollution Control Board is making a vital permitting decision on the fracked gas Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) compressor station on Friday, November 9, and it’s important to show our power now!

Take action to support the community of Union Hill by committing to turn your lights off for 24 hours to participate in the Power-Fast!