Contact: Doug Jackson, 202.495.3045 or doug.jackson@sierraclub.org
CHARLESTON, WV -- Yesterday, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in a letter to a federal regulator, announced its intention to “vacate and remand” their approval of the certification for the proposed fracked gas Mountain Valley Pipeline. Under section 401 of the Clean Water Act, states have the authority to issue or deny certification to pipelines based on the expected effects of the projects on water quality. Thursday’s decision was in response to a lawsuit filed by Appalachian Mountain Advocates on behalf of the Sierra Club and comes on the heels of a federal court decision upholding the authority of states to block pipelines by denying them their 401 water quality certificate.
In response, Sierra Club West Virginia Chapter Gas Committee Chair Justin Raines released the following statement:
“The fracked gas Mountain Valley Pipeline is dirty, dangerous and needlessly endangers West Virginia’s waterways, wilderness, and communities and it should be rejected. This project should never have been approved in the first place, and we hope this pipeline now receives the scrutiny it deserves.”
Angie Rosser, Executive Director of the West Virginia Rivers Coalition said:
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The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, 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.