2017 Republican gubernatorial nominee Ed Gillespie today released the following statement on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline:
“Today’s release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement proves the Atlantic Coast Pipeline will be constructed in an environmentally responsible manner. Moving forward, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline will be a crucially important part of Virginia’s energy infrastructure that will serve Virginia’s growing energy needs. Access to affordable, reliable natural gas will create good-paying jobs and help Virginia to attract additional capital investment, which is critical to local and regional economic development. There’s no doubt the construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline will result in significant, positive economic activity for Virginia, and will help ensure Virginia consumers have the reliable access to affordable American energy that they need.”
In the FEIS, available HERE, FERC reports, regarding potential environmental impacts of the project that, “Implementation of Atlantic and DETI’s respective impact avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures, as well as their adherence to staff’s recommendations in the EIS would further avoid, minimize, and mitigate these impacts. Most, but not all of these impacts, would be reduced to less-than-significant levels.”
The Atlantic Coast Pipeline will provide access to affordable, reliable natural gas. The project will create as many as 8,800 jobs during construction and 1,300 full-time jobs in the Commonwealth as a result of lower energy costs. In April, Gillespie submitted comment to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in support of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Read the full letter HERE.
Last week, Congressman Scott Taylor and Virginia State Senator Frank Wagner urged Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam to demonstrate action following his apparent support for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.