Doug Jackson 202.495.3045 or doug.jackson@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the fracked gas Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) announced it will seek individual stream crossing permits after a federal court issued an order last November staying previous approvals under the blanket Nationwide Permit 12. Major MVP partner NextEra Energy, Inc. also announced today a loss of $1.2 billion on the pipeline.
The controversial project is over three years behind schedule and has nearly doubled its original budget, the result of a rushed and shoddy permitting process that has not withstood legal challenges. In addition to the extraordinary delays and cost overruns, regulators have imposed millions of dollars in penalties on MVP for violating over 350 environmental and water protections. Moreover, it was the subject of a criminal investigation and continues to face intense and ongoing grassroots opposition. The uncertainty surrounding the project reminds analysts and industry watchers of similar problems that led to the cancellation of the nearby Atlantic Coast Pipeline and many are openly wondering if the project will ever be completed at all.
Today’s announcement by MVP directly resulted from litigation brought by Appalachian Mountain Advocates on behalf of a coalition of environmental groups that includes Sierra Club, the Center for Biological Diversity, the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, the Indian Creek Watershed Association, Wild Virginia, and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.
In response, Sierra Club Senior Campaign Representative for the Beyond Dirty Fuels Campaign Joan Walker released the following statement:
"Another day, another delay for the Mountain Valley Pipeline. This dirty, dangerous fracked gas pipeline has already doubled its budget and run more than three years over its deadline and is still nowhere near finished. With investors like NextEra Energy Inc. posting massive losses from this project, I can’t help but wonder when MVP’s backers will quit throwing good money after bad and walk away from this risky bet once and for all.”
David Sligh, Conservation Director for Wild Virginia stated:
“The pipeline companies continue to desperately search for a way to push this dangerous and ill-conceived project forward. This latest attempt must fail, because MVP cannot meet the requirements of the Clean Water Act and a more thorough analysis by the Corps and the states will prove as much. The record of damages and violations MVP has already built and a valid scientific review should end this project once and for all.”
West Virginia Rivers Coalition Executive Director Angie Rosser stated:
“It’s good to see that MVP’s waterbody crossings will finally get the appropriate scrutiny through an individual review. After issuing 50 violations against MVP in West Virginia, the WVDEP surely now must recognize the importance of conducting a thorough analysis to ensure that our waters will not be further degraded.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.