Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality says it will continue to monitor the Mountain Valley Pipeline route for erosion and sediment control measures even as a stop-work order remains in effect. This comes after Friday’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission order to halt all pipeline work until further notice.
Virginia DEQ news release: Late on Friday, Aug. 3, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a stop work order for the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). This followed the announcement on July 27, when the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals revoked MVP’s permits to cross the Jefferson National Forest. With construction of that 3.6-mile segment of federal land on hold, FERC decided late Friday that work on the entire project should stop. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) rules require site stabilization within seven days. FERC has similar rules and DEQ will work with FERC to ensure appropriate erosion and sediment control measures are in place throughout Virginia. DEQ will continue to inspect the project to ensure all erosion and sediment control measures are in place, installed properly and maintained throughout this stop work period. “The only work currently under way on the MVP project in Virginia is site stabilization,” said DEQ Director David Paylor. “Virginia’s laws give DEQ the authority to ensure the infrastructure is stabilized – and remains stabilized – for as long as the stop work order is in place.” DEQ will have consultants on site throughout the stoppage to identify what will be required of MVP to ensure stabilization. More details are available about Virginia’s annual standards and specifications for erosion control and stormwater for pipeline projects, and detailed in MVP’s overview, Project Specific Standards and Specifications for Virginia.
