July 5, 2020

Dominion Energy and Duke Energy announced today that they are canceling their long-delayed Atlantic Coast Pipeline project, which would have spanned 600 miles through West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. The companies cited lawsuits from environmental advocates and landowners as a financial barrier to the project. Dominion also announced the sale of its natural gas transmission and storage assets to an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway.

Maury Johnson, POWHR Executive Committee Member and MVP Impacted Landowner

“For six years the people of West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina have been terrorized by pipeline companies like the ACP and the MVP. Today is a great day for those people who have devoted their lives to educating the public and fighting for their water, air, and property, and to lead the way to a cleaner energy future. Today—as an ally with those great people and with thoughts of my dear friend April Pierson-Keating, who did not live to see this day—I rejoice. But the job is only half finished. Today we enjoy this victory, but tomorrow we must double down our efforts, pull together and send MVP and the MVP Southgate to the scrap heap of bad ideas with the ACP.”

Russell Chisholm, POWHR Co-Chair

“Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines have been doomed from the start, yet recklessly and carelessly proceeded to trample people, sacred places, and human rights to serve their own financial gain. Like MVP, Dominion’s disaster has been propped up by hollow and baseless assurances to investors and regulators alike. Only four months ago Dominion argued before the US Supreme Court they should be permitted to burrow their pipeline under the historic and iconic Appalachian Trail. Dominion’s abandonment of this project serves as a reminder to all who are working for environmental justice: stick together, keep fighting, keep showing up for each other. Today we celebrate with the community of Union Hill and pipeline fighters everywhere.”

Roberta Bondurant, POWHR Co-Chair

“The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission capitulated to Dominion and ACP over the objections of communities, dragging landowners through the wringer of eminent domain abuse and an arduous certification process—only to see ACP defeated by the very same challenges still facing MVP. ‘Build first, fix problems later’ will always fail the public when our very real—now proven—concerns for our water and other natural assets are ignored in the name of private profit .  Nelson Mandela said, ‘It always seems impossible until it is done.’ Applause and congratulations to our friends along the now abandoned ACP. We celebrate with you.”