Oil Change International responds to FERC gas pipeline approvals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 13, 2017

Contact:
Lorne Stockman, lorne@priceofoil.org, 540-679-1097
Collin Rees, collin@priceofoil.org, 308-293-3159

Oil Change International responds to FERC gas pipeline approvals

Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines face massive local opposition
Today, on a Friday evening at 7:00 PM, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines. Both projects were approved by a vote of 2 to 1, with Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur issuing dissenting statements for both approvals.

In response, Lorne Stockman, Senior Analyst with Oil Change International, released the following statement:

“In spite of FERC’s irresponsible action, these fracked gas pipelines still face massive opposition in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. FERC cannot sneak these mega-projects past the hundreds of communities in their path in the dead of night.

“Oil Change International and the many groups fighting these pipelines have documented the extensive damage these projects will do. Both projects are bad deals for ratepayers, and huge threats to our mountains, rivers, farms, and local economies. They threaten our climate and disproportionately impact our low-income and minority communities. FERC has ignored all the evidence and certified these destructive projects as ‘convenient and necessary’ – when in fact they are neither.

“There is no public convenience or necessity associated with either of these pipelines, and the only people they serve is shareholders. No assessment of actual need has been conducted for either of them, as noted by Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur in her rarely-seen dissent opposing today’s approvals. Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley will cause irreparable harm to our climate, and to the communities and environment along their routes.

“Despite the certificates granted today, these fights are far from over. The responsibility to protect the climate, ratepayer interests, and the precious water in these states now rests squarely on the shoulders of Governors Terry McAuliffe, Roy Cooper, and Jim Justice. We will join our partners and communities in Virginia, North Carolina, and West Virginia to increase pressure for the rejection of 401 water permits in these states and stop these reckless pipelines.”

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Notes to Editors:

For more information on the risks of these gas pipelines, see the following reports from Oil Change International:

Ratepayer & Pipeline Regulation: “Art of the Self-Deal: How Regulatory Failure Lets Gas Pipeline Companies Fabricate Need and Fleece Ratepayers” (Sept 2017)

Atlantic Coast Emissions: “The Atlantic Coast Pipeline: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Briefing” (Feb 2017)

Mountain Valley Emissions: “The Mountain Valley Pipeline: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Briefing” (Feb 2017)

Mountain Valley Financing: “The Money Behind the Mountain Valley Pipeline: Is Your Bank Financing Another Fracked-Gas Disaster?” (May 2017)

Appalachian Gas Pipelines: “A Bridge Too Far: How Appalachian Basin Gas Pipeline Expansion Will Undermine U.S. Climate Goals” (July 2016)

FERC’s approval documents can be found here:

Atlantic Coast: “Order Issuing Certificates for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline” (13 Oct 2017)

Mountain Valley: “Order Issuing Certificates and Granting Abandonment Authority for the Mountain Valley Pipeline” (13 Oct 2017)

FERC Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur’s dissenting statements can be found here:

Atlantic Coast: “Commissioner LaFleur, Dissenting – Atlantic Coast” (13 Oct 2017)

Mountain Valley: “Commissioner LaFleur, Dissenting – Mountain Valley (13 Oct 2017)