The EnergyBuilders coalition write to express their concern to Governor Northam regarding continued delay of Atlantic Coast Pipeline construction due to recent actions by the Virginia State Water Control Board, referencing the current jeopardy of jobs, the economy, and overall business reputation of Virginia.

Read the full text below:

"Dear Governor Northam: 

The undersigned trade organizations represent businesses and workers who build and provide 
equipment, materials, supplies and services to energy infrastructure projects. Prominent among those 
projects is the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP), which will provide Virginians with greatly expanded access 
to affordable and reliable natural gas and the clean power it provides.

We are writing to express our concern with recent action by the Virginia State Water Control Board 
which directed the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to open a new public comment period 
challenging whether Nationwide 12 federal water quality permits, previously issued by the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers (USACE) for all of ACP’s nearly nine hundred Virginia water crossings, were adequate 
to protect the state’s water quality.

The federal permits were issued after the project’s developers spent more than three years devising the 
safest and most environmentally responsible route for the pipeline, studying more than 6,000 miles of 
potential routes before choosing the best 600‐mile route with the least impact. More than 300 route 
adjustments were made to avoid environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands, wildlife habitats, 
drinking water sources and sensitive geologic features. Construction methods have been designed and 
mandated to minimize impacts on water bodies and sensitive aquatic species habitats, and to control 
erosion and sedimentation.

Nevertheless, ACP’s opponents argue that the USACE Nationwide 12 permits should be rescinded in 
favor of requiring state agencies to approve individual permits for each of the pipeline's water crossings,
a process that would significantly delay and add unnecessary cost to the project without benefit. The 
Board's action opens the door to that possibility. 

A policy enabling retroactive rescission of carefully considered and duly issued federal permits will call 
into question the force and effect of any Nationwide 12 permit for any Virginia construction project 
involving water crossings, including roads, bridges, electric transmission lines or virtually any form of 
infrastructure. This will undermine the reliability and certainty of duly issued construction permits in the 
State, impair private investment in much‐needed infrastructure projects and damage the State of 
Virginia’s reputation as a good place to do business.

We therefore urge you to encourage the Board and the Department of Environmental Quality to 
reaffirm the previously‐issued permits and allow construction to continue as planned for the benefit of 
all Virginians."

View the official press release from Energy Builders