(RICHMOND, VA)—Yesterday, the Wilmington, North Carolina, district of the Army Corps of Engineers suspended its issuance of a nationwide general permit to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline for construction. The decision was in response to a recent ruling in the 4th Circuit casting doubt on the validity of the permit in West Virginia. Recognizing that the pipeline is part of a project that runs from West Virginia through Virginia to North Carolina, the Corps suspended the permit for the entire length of the pipeline. In response, Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Virginia Executive Director Rebecca Tomazin issued this statement.
"The Army Corps of Engineers' wise decision underscores the serious concerns we have had that a general permit is not sufficient to protect Virginia's water quality. In order to ensure the protection of Virginia's waterways, we believe that individual permits should govern construction at each crossing."
