Atlantic Coast Pipeline CANCELLED: A monumental win for conservation and environmental justice
Text by Syler Peralta-Ramos, Photos by Karen Kasmauski
About the Proposed Pipeline:
Pipelines have been at the forefront of American consciousness since the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Keystone XL Pipeline sparked nearly a decade of legal controversy and protests. For residents of West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina however, the looming threat of a different pipeline has brought similar concerns. The Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP), a natural gas project headed by Dominion and Duke — two of the largest energy companies in the U.S. — would have extended 600 miles from West Virginia to South Carolina with a section to the east through Virginia.
Along its proposed route, the pipeline would have crossed beneath the famed natural beauty of the Appalachian Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway, George Washington and Monongahela National Forests, and pass just feet from the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The pipeline’s construction required the clear-cutting of a 125-foot-wide easement and a 75-foot-wide permanent pipeline right-of-way for monitoring and maintenance as well as the access roads required to service it. Environmental concerns go beyond the construction and maintenance of the pipeline. As with any pipeline, there is always the fear of leakage which, though infrequent, can have devastating effects not only for the natural beauty of the region, but also for the people and wildlife that call it home.
Nelson and Buckingham counties in Virginia are part of the pathway for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline project funded predominately by Dominion energy company. The pipeline will go through areas of natural beauty but also of unstable geology. Many of the locals fear damage will be done to the water (everyone is on well water, including the business), the air, the economy and the general sense of community. The project has been on the books for years, keeping everyone in a state of limbo. The three compressor stations for this pipeline will be built in underserved and minority communities.
Shown, the pipeline pathway through the landscape with early morning fog.
As has been the case in other high-profile pipeline cases in recent years, the ACP’s opposition is about more than environmental protection and conservation: it is about environmental justice. Along the proposed route for the pipeline are three compressor stations (a piece of pipeline equipment recognized by the EPA as releasing pollutants that can increase likelihood of asthma, heart disease, cancer, and neurological impairments in people living and working nearby). All three of these proposed stations were slated to be built in low-income areas, two of which are home to majority African American populations. Especially in light of the current national reckoning of racism in America, the political climate is ripe for greater justice and equality for those who have been systematically disadvantaged by projects like the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Indeed, conservation and racial justice must go hand-in-hand.
Nelson and Buckingham counties in Virginia are part of the pathway for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline project funded predominately by Dominion energy company. The pipeline will go through areas of natural beauty but also of unstable geology. Many of the locals fear damage will be done to the water (everyone is on well water, including the business), the air, the economy and the general sense of community. The project has been on the books for years, keeping everyone in a state of limbo. The three compressor stations for this pipeline will be built in underserved and minority communities.
General images of Nelson Co, Virginia, early morning sun coming through trees near where the pipeline was once schedule.
Work opposing the Atlantic Coast Pipeline:
The iLCP Expedition, led by Senior Fellow Karen Kasmauski, focused on bringing greater awareness to the people and places that are most affected by the proposed pipeline. We partnered with grassroots organizations in our first phase, focusing on two Virginia counties: Buckingham and Nelson. In these counties, local activism against the pipeline has led to extraordinary stories of local people stepping up to protect their communities. Karen has worked tirelessly, taking pictures out the windows of tiny two-seater planes, in people’s kitchens, and on foot while trekking through miles of backcountry. She has toured bespoke organic flower farms and craft cider breweries and orchards, all with the goal of sharing this story with the world and bringing plans of the pipeline to a halt.
In the work we have done on this project thus far, we have been supported by two community organizations; Friends of Buckingham and Friends of Nelson in addition to the Bama Works fund. Friends of Buckingham and Friends of Nelson are two groups that have emerged as forces of opposition to the project under the larger Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance. Together these organizations watch over Dominion Energy’s activities on the pipeline and mount opposition when needed.
Nelson and Buckingham counties in Virginia are part of the pathway for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline project funded predominately by Dominion energy company. The pipeline will go through areas of natural beauty but also of unstable geology. Many of the locals fear damage will be done to the water (everyone is on well water, including the business), the air, the economy and the general sense of community. The project has been on the books for years, keeping everyone in a state of limbo. The three compressor stations for this pipeline will be built in underserved and minority communities.
Union Hill, a historical black community initially settled by freemen is where the 2nd compression station will be built.
A support rally was held in Union Hill on the land own by the Harper family, a family of freemen.
The cancellation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and next steps:
On Sunday, July 5th, Dominion and Duke energy canceled the ACP, citing the mounting costs and uncertainty in legal battles. As opposition to the pipeline has solidified with 8 crucial permits failing approval, in addition to changing economic/market conditions, the project has failed to move forward according to original plans. Despite the challenges and being billions of dollars over budget, Dominion and Duke had remained firm in their determination to complete the project. Though little specific information is yet known as to why they decided to cut the project now, the news is a tremendous win for conservationists, the environmental justice movement, and the many citizens who stood up against one of the largest energy companies in the nation.
Nelson and Buckingham counties in Virginia are part of the pathway for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline project funded predominately by Dominion energy company. The pipeline will go through areas of natural beauty but also of unstable geology. Many of the locals fear damage will be done to the water (everyone is on well water, including the business), the air, the economy and the general sense of community. The project has been on the books for years, keeping everyone in a state of limbo. The three compressor stations for this pipeline will be built in underserved and minority communities.
Union Hill, a historical black community initially settled by freemen is where the 2nd compression station will be built.
A support rally was held in Union Hill on the land own by the Harper family, a family of freemen.
Women involved in the struggle, they are all from Union Hill.
The Atlantic Coast Pipeline will not continue, though iLCP’s work to tell the story will. The ACP is not the only pipeline currently being contested in the region nor is the project completely off the table. Although farther along in its construction, a nearby pipeline known as the Mountain Valley Pipeline, faces many of the same concerns that ultimately led to the downfall of the ACP. Many people are becoming resigned to the Mountain Valley Pipeline as a done deal; however the same was said about the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. The cancellation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline may hold important lessons for communities hoping to oppose similar projects. By sharing the stories of the communities that stood their ground along the proposed route of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, the project can serve as a source of inspiration and hope for the people that are still fighting pipelines in their communities. The ACP is an important reminder that when communities bind together for what they believe in, there is always hope for change.
