Special Issue: LynnRMitchell.com writers, guests discuss Atlantic Coast Pipeline

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Today at LynnRMitchell.com, we are looking at the Atlantic Coast Pipeline issue that has stirred opinions both for and against in Augusta County and elsewhere. Posts from guest writers and regular contributors include Augusta County supervisors, citizens, information from Dominion, and an editorial cartoon.

Here is the list of articles in today’s Special Pipeline Issue:

• Atlantic Coast Pipeline: Better ways to the same end by Supervisor Tracy Pyles
• Dominion, environmentalists, and pipeline hypocrisy by Joel Salatin
• Augusta County: Too valuable and vulnerable for this pipeline? by former Supervisor Nancy Sorrells
• Dominion’s Growth – What, Why, How, and Controlling Features by Calvin Lucy
• The Dominion Pipeline Maze by Kurt Michael
• Schedule for 2015 Dominion Atlantic Coast Pipeline open houses from Dominion
• Myths & facts about Atlantic Coast Pipeline from Dominion

Previous articles on the pipeline:

• Dominion Virginia Power pipeline in Augusta County by Supervisor David Karaffa
• Augusta County residents organize against pipeline by Supervisor David Karaffa
• What if Dominion Virginia Power ran high speed internet with Atlantic Coast Pipeline? by Lynn R. Mitchell
• Governors McAuliffe, Tomblin, McCrory provide bipartisan support for Atlantic Coast Pipeline by Lynn R. Mitchell
• Business community, public officials support Atlantic Coast Pipeline by Lynn R. Mitchell
• Augusta supervisors deliver resolution asking for more info, Dominion says 75% of landowners in pipeline path agree to surveying  by Lynn R. Mitchell

Cross-posted

Atlantic Coast Pipeline: Better ways to the same end

By Tracy Pyles
Supervisor, Pastures District, Augusta County
Guest Post

The “no-pipeline” slogan fits nicely on 2-inch buttons and yard signs but is an incomplete statement of attitude.  Most of us realize pipelines, whether 1, 2, or 3, will be approved to cross Virginia, destined for the Atlantic coast, in the next 5 years.  The challenge is to insure that these pipelines are smartly placed where they can serve their intended purposes while limiting their impact on the environment, the least risk to our people and force-take the least amount of private property.

Dominion, environmentalists, and pipeline hypocrisy

By Joel Salatin
Owner, Polyface Farm
Guest Post

This is acute for people in our locality, but has broad applications for similar tensions around the country. Dominion (sounds ominous, no?) is a large energy development company in Virginia (Old Dominion) proposing to install a 42-inch high pressure gas line from West Virginia fracking fields down to North Carolina and out to Yorktown (a major seaport).

Augusta County: Too valuable and vulnerable for this pipeline?

By Nancy Sorrells
Augusta County Alliance Co-chair
Guest Post

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline, championed by Dominion and the governor of Virginia, has been grabbing a lot of headlines lately, as it should. One of the most significant proposed land-use issues in Augusta County’s history needs to be carefully studied from all angles. Knee jerk simplistic reactions, whether they be anti-pipeline “nimby-ism” or pro-pipeline comments such as “you like your electricity, don’t you?” really have no place in Augusta County’s discussion. This is much bigger and far more complicated than that.

The Dominion Pipeline Maze

By Kurt Michael

Dominion’s Growth – What, Why, How, and Controlling Features

By Calvin T. Lucy Jr.
Guest Post

I would like to explain my opinion of the what and why of Dominion Resources’ general philosophy in dealing with customers, under any and all circumstances. Dominion’s basic business is service. I write from 40 years’ experience (1948-1988) of employment by Vepco – now a Dominion subsidiary —  to provide that service.

I am a Virginia Tech educated electrical engineer  — major electronics, minor 60 cycle power systems. By virtue of the well planned internal training philosophy of the company, my job varied functionally, first as an FCC licensed mobile-radio technician, through the ranks of electric distribution and transmission, electrical operations (at the Outer Banks and northeast North Carolina), human resources, executive level administration, information technology, business systems analysis, telecommunications and staff engineering.

Dominion Virginia Power pipeline in Augusta County

By David Karaffa, Contributor
Supervisor, Beverley Manor District, Augusta County

On August 13th at the Board of Supervisors regular meeting, we had representatives from Dominion Virginia Power come and give a presentation about their proposed underground natural gas pipeline that will transect Augusta County. There were over 350 citizens in attendance at the meeting.

First, I would like to say thank you to Dominion and to all of those that showed up for the meeting. All of the information and input was helpful to better understanding the proposal, answer some very important questions, and allow for our citizens to express their concerns about the project.

What if Dominion Virginia Power ran high speed internet with Atlantic Coast Pipeline?

By Lynn R. Mitchell

What if the proposed natural gas pipeline running through Augusta County and beyond had fiber optics buried along with it? For those who have advocated opening rural areas to high speed internet, perhaps the answer is to partner with the pipeline. Rumor has it that Dominion could be open to that possibility. High speed internet … Atlantic Coast Pipeline. What do you think?

Schedule for 2015 Dominion Atlantic Coast Pipeline open houses

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Dominion has scheduled the next round of informational open houses for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. These informational, come-and-go open houses will be identical to the ones that occurred in September, with display tables staffed by subject matter experts, project overview and county-level maps showing the updated proposed route and informational materials about the environment and other topics of the project.

Myths & facts about Atlantic Coast Pipeline

From Dominion Resources….

Dominion’s plan to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline to provide affordable, environmentally friendly natural gas to our region has received broad and strong support. Still, we have a responsibility to make sure everyone knows the facts about this project.

Myth: The pipeline will move natural gas so it can be exported overseas.
Fact: The pipeline will serve customers in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina—period. Natural gas moved by the pipeline will not be exported. In fact, no facilities exist along the route to make exporting possible.

Augusta County residents organize against pipeline

By David Karaffa, Contributor
Supervisor, Beverley Manor District, Augusta County

Saturday, September 6th, saw a great number of Augusta County residents at the Verona Government Center. The topic of discussion was the Dominion Virginia Power Natural Gas Pipeline that has been much discussed since letters started appearing in citizens’ mailboxes. The letters have been asking landowners to allow Dominion representatives and their subcontractors to come onto their land and survey for the proposed route. This request has not been welcomed by the majority of landowners in Augusta.

Business community, public officials support Atlantic Coast Pipeline

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The proposed natural gas pipeline in Augusta County just got a whole lot more important with support from Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and a public outpouring of support from the business community as well as public officials including former Augusta County-Staunton Delegate Chris Saxman (R-20th), now executive director of the Virginia Foundation for Research and Economic Education.

Augusta supervisors deliver resolution asking for more info, Dominion says 75% of landowners in pipeline path agree to surveying

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Hundreds of landowners turned out Monday night to attend an open house held by Dominion Virginia Resources at Fishersville’s Expoland. On hand were maps, information, and experts to talk with resident who turned out to learn more about the proposed natural gas pipeline.

Augusta County supervisors passed a resolution last week that was delivered to Dominion asking them “to submit to a mock rezoning in the county designed to minimize the impact on landowners, water supplies, schools and the county’s economic development plans.”

Governors McAuliffe, Tomblin, McCrory provide bipartisan support for Atlantic Coast Pipeline

By Lynn R. Mitchell

In a press conference Tuesday at the state capitol in Richmond, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) went against some in his own party when he enthusiastically expressed support for a proposed 550-mile long natural gas pipeline that would stretch from West Virginia through Virginia and to North Carolina. Approximately 44 miles of the pipeline will cross Augusta County.