The News Leader
by Danny Quick

I was one of those people who attended the recent FERC comment sessions in Staunton. I thought the process ran smoothly, and I was happy to share my support for the natural gas project. As I looked around the room the same opponents I’ve seen at other public hearings to any project that brings change or improvements in our county. For example, when wind energy was proposed in our mountain range, they opposed because the safety of birds, property values and our valley beauty. Now with the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, the safety of our community is at question. I don’t know a single company that would invest $5 billion on a project that is unsafe for the communities which they live, their children attend the local schools and they drink the water locally.

I’ve seen recent signs erected in our community identifying the “blast zone” for the pipeline. These fear tactics and the trashy signs do more damage to property values, our beautiful views and our community than a finished pipeline right-of-way. What must the tourists think when they drive through Augusta County? And ironically, if the opponents wanted the signs to be an accurate assessment of the “blast zone,” you might as well put up the signs along the Columbia Gas line, which has existed in our community, unnoticed since 1960.

We need the natural gas energy in our region to support the solar projects these opponents demand. I hate being the bearer of bad news, but the sun doesn’t always shine and we must have a reliable, clean source of energy to support solar power projects. ACP will be constructed and maintained safely, just like the miles of line already in Augusta County. I’m looking forward to 2019, when this project is finalized, the county is receiving the $1.8 million in tax revenue annually, and the signs are left to litter our county dump, not our streets. Or maybe the opponents will recycle these signs for the next project they will oppose.

DANNY QUICK
Stuarts Draft

Read the full story in The News Leader