policy, natural gas—which emits 50 percent less carbon dioxide
than coal and 30 percent less than oil—is a natural match for
a more climate-friendly energy mix.
“My experience and research suggest that natural gas is the
path to more renewables because it works so well with intermit-
tent resources like wind and solar—i.e., the wind doesn’t always
blow and the sun doesn’t always shine,” he says. “Natural gas
is so inexpensive that it is creating opportunities for renewables
that were not clearly available before the shale gas boom.”
Dominion Energy, the leading percentage owner of the ACP,
sees the importance of embracing renewable energy sources.
In fact, it plans to become the most environmentally friendly
utility in North America by investing in solar and other re-
newables. It would seem that if Dominion were to combine
its resources and innovation with the protesters’ passion for
fighting climate change, a happy medium could be struck, but
common ground is elusive in this battle.
The Benefits of Pipelines
It’s easy to wonder why companies like Dominion and Equi-
trans Midstream Corporation, the operator of MVP, continue
to fight back—until you consider the wide-reaching economic
impacts of both success and failure. There is much to be gained
in this fight, especially for the Mountain State, where natural
gas production just makes sense. West Virginia has a long his-
tory of fossil fuel extraction, and the more recent shale gas
boom has given the natural gas industry new life. Its possibilities
are endless and wide reaching—but only if there is infrastructure
to move the natural gas to where it can be used or sold.
A rich supply needs a strong demand, and that demand also
exists in the region.
“In our neighboring states, millions of residential and busi-
ness customers are being denied access to an abundant, reliable
supply of low-cost natural gas found right here in West Virginia,”
says Bob Orndorff, state policy director for Dominion Energy.
“Once the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is completed, it will bring
cleaner and more reliable electricity and lower consumer energy
costs, improve air quality and help rebuild our manufacturing
economy.”
That’s right: pipeline infrastructure will contribute to the
manufacturing renaissance sparked by the recent shale gas
boom. According to Natalie Cox, communications director
for Equitrans Midstream Corporation and spokesperson for
MVP, the design and purpose of the MVP is to safely transport
cost-effective natural gas to markets with growing demand,
including local distribution companies, industrial users and
power generation facilities.
The economic impact for each state touched by these two
pipelines is doubled for West Virginia because it would be home
to a portion of both. Prior to having its permits revoked, the
MVP was expected to create more than 4,500 construction
jobs in West Virginia and generate $47 million in state and
local taxes. ACP’s expected economic impact included 17,000
construction jobs for the three-state route and $4.2 million in
tax revenue per year per state.
Permits that Protect
The biggest objection to pipeline construction is the envi-
ronment: the disruption of land, run-off into streams, impact
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE
on ecosystems, destruction of trees and interruption of habitats
of birds and animals along the route. Protesters find no com-
fort in explanations of the many regulations that must be met
and approvals that must be obtained prior to the start of con-
struction, despite the extensive permitting process.
“Interstate pipelines are heavily regulated by the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which works with
multiple other state and federal agencies in the permitting
process,” says Anne Blankenship, executive director of the West
Virginia Oil and Gas Association. “The permitting process
takes many years and includes everything from stream cross-
ings and tree cuttings to the location of the pipeline route. It
is a rigorous process with public involvement and opportunity
for comments and objections along the way. Every potential
impact is considered, analyzed and regulated.”
The ACP project was reviewed by more than a dozen state
and federal agencies over a three-year period before receiving
project approval in 2017. “No other project in our region’s
history has been developed with greater attention to the envi-
ronment,” says Orndorff. “With input from agencies and
communities, more than 6,000 miles were considered for the
pipeline route, and the plan was adjusted more than 300 times
to minimize environmental and landowner impact.”
What Lies Ahead
Despite current stop work orders, leaders behind both the
MVP and ACP intend to move forward with their projects.
Both have revised their completion dates and are making plans
to put people back to work.
The MVP project is now targeting a fourth quarter comple-
tion and is preparing to ramp up for late spring and summer
construction activities. As of mid-April 2019, the total project
work was 80 percent complete.
“We have been pursuing options and alternatives that would
address the MVP’s outstanding issues and, if realized, allow
for a fourth quarter completion and in-service date,” says Cox.
Dominion Energy also hopes to get back to work on the
ACP later this year. According to Orndorff, the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service authorization appeal is scheduled to be heard
in early May, and the company expects an appeal to be filed
with the U.S. Supreme Court by the end of May for the U.S.