Mount Vernon residents — this affects you. Did you know that the 600-mile pipeline carrying “fracked gas” proposed to extend from West Virginia to North Carolina, and traverse our Blue Ridge mountains would be paid for by us? The $6.5 billion proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline would be largely financed by ratepayers of Dominion and Duke. The pipeline lobbyists have done a great job of selling this boondoggle to the public, regulators, and politicians, including Governor Northam and some of our local representatives, by promoting the position that natural gas is a preferred energy source over coal. This is a last century viewpoint. Comparing one harmful energy source as being preferred over a second harmful source is a misleading choice that ignores better alternatives. The lobbyists also claim that jobs will be created, but permanent pipeline-related jobs are projected to be less than 40. Construction jobs are usually brought in by out of state contractors and are temporary. The lobbyists also claim that natural gas is needed for business expansion in Virginia, ignoring the fact that modern businesses want to be supplied by renewable energy.
Dominion appears to be planning based on profit for executive salaries and stockholders, rather than the long-term health of our children, grandchildren, and the planet. Imagine what a $6.5 billion investment in renewables would do to create jobs, preserve our air, water, and environment, and reduce utility bills.
Become informed and let your local county and state officials know that this is our business, and we do not want it. Refer to pipelineupdate.org for a well-organized, factual, science-based summary.
Or better yet, visit Bill and Lynn Limpert’s beautiful land in Bath County, as we did, to see for yourself the old growth forest and steep mountain ridges as an example of what would be devastated by this Project. Visit CCAN.org to register.
Bruce and Pam Tinker
Alexandria