West Virginia Hits Fracked Gas Pipeline With Third Environmental Citation

CHARLESTON, WV -- The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to the fracked gas Mountain Valley Pipeline following an investigation on June 6, 2018. This is already the third citation issued to MVP in its nascent construction phase. This time, regulators punished MVP for failing to modify their Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) after it was proven to be ineffective, for failing to implement proper runoff controls, and for failing to prevent sediment-laden water from leaving the construction site without proper treatment.

It is especially noteworthy that the MVP would receive three NOVs in such a short time from West Virginia, a state that is notoriously loathe to regulate the fossil fuel industry. For example, at the Brushy Fork coal slurry impoundment, the WV DEP did not pull their permit after several violations, eventually leading to underground coal sludge injections that poisoned well water in surrounding communities. Similar concerns were raised around a chemical spill into the Elk River.

In response, Sierra Club Organizing Manager Bill Price released the following statement:

"After getting their second Notice of Violation, MVP said they were committed to building their fracked gas pipeline ‘the right way.’ Well, if this is right way to build a pipeline, I’m terrified to see what the wrong way looks like.

“We have said all along and will repeat it again - there is no need to build this dirty, dangerous fracked gas pipeline. Clean, renewable energy sources are abundant and affordable and we shouldn’t risk West Virginia’s water, climate, and communities just to boost the bottom line of a polluting corporation.”