Environmental Advocates Spotlight New Fossil Fuel Projects Planned for Virginia
Expansion Projects From TC Energy & Transco Threaten Environmental Justice Communities
Contact: Lynn Godfrey, Community Outreach Coordinator, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter,
lynn.godrey@sierraclub.org, (757) 305-8284.
Richmond, VA. - Proposed fossil fuel infrastructure expansions intended for the Southside and Hampton Roads regions of Virginia have drawn the attention of local communities and environmental leaders concerned about potential impacts. Applications for the projects from TC Energy and Williams Transco, have been recently submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for review. Effects from pipeline construction, further segmentation of existing lines, subsequent climate impacts and continued harm to environmental justice communities are of deep concern.
The route of the Virginia Reliability Project would travel through the Southside and Hampton Roads communities of Greensville, Prince George, Sussex, Surry, Southampton, and Isle of Wight Counties, Virginia and in the cities of Suffolk and Chesapeake, Virginia, respectively, which currently experience an overburden of existing fossil fuel infrastructure. The Commonwealth Energy Connector Project would impact environmental justice communities and travel through Mecklenburg, Brunswick, and Greensville Counties, Virginia. Public hearings will be held virtually from 5:00p.m. to 7:00p.m. today, March 15 and on a date later this month, for the scoping comment period. The public is encouraged to submit comments highlighting concerns that should be included in the FERC’s environmental review. The Scoping Notice for the projects has been combined into one, shared comment period, which opened on February 22 and has recently been extended to April 6, 2020.
This news follows more recent cancellation of intrastate projects proposed to service the Hampton Roads region. The Virginia Natural Gas' Header Improvement Project, was canceled in December 2020, and a subsequent smaller version, the Interconnect Project was canceled in March 2021, both hit roadblocks in securing authorization from the State Corporation Commission.
“These new applications from the fossil fuel industry need a thorough review with FERC’s expanded criteria including – climate impacts from GHG, impacts on vulnerable communities, and necessity. Afterall, the permit is a certificate of convenience and public necessity ” states Lynn Godfrey, Sierra Club’s Stop the Pipelines Community Outreach Coordinator based in Hampton Roads. “Current studies have shown there’s no shortage of natural gas in Hampton Roads in the foreseeable future.”
“Environmental Justice is a Human Right with health at the core” says Queen Shabazz, Coordinator of the Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative. “EJ communities in Virginia are inundated with health impairments and life threatening conditions resulting from the greed of the fossil fuel industry. It’s time to put people over profits.”
“Wherein the proposed project has been stated to "make up for" transmission of natural gas via the failed attempt to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, we, a waterway and maritime community, as a major impacted stakeholder community, require meaningful public participation on this project,” says Kelly Hengler, Executive President of the CE&H Heritage Civic League in Suffolk, VA. “No such public participation has occurred via Local or State public meetings, notification, nor contact by the Virginia Reliability Project and the Commonwealth Energy Connector Project. As a maritime heritage historic community, Crittenden, Eclipse and Hobson (CE&H), we are a direct stakeholder and impacted community in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Any environmental impact occurring on or in the Nansemond River, Chuckatuck Creek, associated creeks, streams, and wetlands, impact our community health, water quality, commerce, and food security.
In the absence of contact by the Virginia Reliability Project and the Commonwealth Energy Connector Project, and all elected representatives for constituent public participation, we must firmly state opposition to the proposal before FERC, as submitted. There is no public benefit nor necessity found for our community. There are grave impacts to Environmental Justice communities, waterways, wetlands, the Rivers, Creeks, under-recognized and recognized Historic assets in Suffolk (previously Nansemond County).”
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