Victory: Congress rejects fossil fuel side deal

Thanks to thousands of calls and emails from advocates like you, Congressional lawmakers have rejected a dirty side deal that would have stripped protections for communities and forced the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. 

Last night, the controversial permitting proposal was removed from a must-pass government funding bill because there was not enough support. This side deal would have weakened environmental protections and disempowered frontline communities, overhauling longstanding safeguards to benefit fossil fuel companies and forcing the completion of the MVP.

We applaud the leadership of Virginia Senator Tim Kaine and other Congressional leaders who stood up to this backroom political deal that tried to place MVP above the law. As a result, Congress can now vote to keep the government open without being held hostage by an egregious quid pro quo that puts fossil fuel interests over communities.

While this is a huge victory, it may not be the end of efforts to weaken protections and force the MVP on Appalachian communities.

We will fight any future attempts to erode our bedrock environmental protections like the National Environmental Policy Act, which is essential to ensuring that real people — not just powerful and politically connected energy companies — have a seat at the table.

We appreciate those who made their voices heard against this dirty side deal and will keep you updated on what comes next.

Thank you for your continued support,
Nat Mund 
SELC Director of Federal Affairs