SELC statement on FERC’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline restoration order

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a restoration plan yesterday for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, a gas pipeline that was canceled in 2020 after years of work by SELC and numerous allies and partners. In response to the announcement, SELC Senior Attorney Greg Buppert released the following statement:

“The Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) was a risky and unnecessary project that demonstrated just how feckless FERC had become in its regulation of the gas industry. Even though the project was canceled, we are disappointed that FERC and the pipeline developers haven’t given communities closure with a clear plan for removing the zombie right-of-way easements on private property.

“Canceling the pipeline meant freeing residents of Virginia and North Carolina from the burden of paying for a pipeline they didn’t need — but ACP is not the only threat. In twenty years, we may be paying for other already-obsolete gas projects that developers are still trying to build, like the bedraggled Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), which is years behind schedule and billions over budget.

“The cost of so-called ‘natural’ gas projects like MVP will continue to climb even as stable, homegrown renewables like wind and solar are getting cheaper every year. Investing in an outdated fossil fuel is irresponsible, and we’ll keep fighting other risky and unnecessary gas projects in our region to ensure a clean energy future for us all.”

More information on the victory over the Atlantic Coast Pipeline available here.