BLUE RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE LEAGUE
8260 Thomas Nelson Hwy ~ Lovingston, VA ~ Phone (434) 420-1874 ~ Email: ponton913@msn.com

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
January 8, 2018

Contact:
Sharon Ponton, ponton913@msn.com, (434) 420-1874
Mark Barker, mebarker@cox.net, (540) 525-5241

BREDL Lambasts Citizen Board for its Decision to Approve Air Permit for Atlantic Coast Pipeline Compressor Station

Richmond, VA—The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) lambasted the citizen State Air Pollution Control Board (SAPCB) today for its approval of the air permit for the Buckingham compressor station for the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Kathie Mosley, BREDL Vice President and chair of Union Hill’s Chapter, Concern for the New Generation, called the decision “a travesty.” Mosley shared, “Those of us who live in Union Hill have been ignored through the entire permitting process. We had hoped the Air Board would acknowledge the fact that we are an Environmental Justice community. This won’t stop us from fighting. We will consider challenging the decision in court.”

BREDL had criticized the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for its attempts to erase the black lives and history of the Union Hill community for presenting incorrect demographic data to SAPCB at its December 19th meeting. BREDL’s Executive Assistant, Mark Barker, completed research disputing that erroneous data. Barker stated, “We presented demographic information proving Dominion and the DEQ data was incorrect. Our only conclusion is that the SAPCB ignored our report in favor of folks who have spent the entire permitting process misleading the public.”

Sharon Ponton, BREDL’s Stop the Pipelines Campaign Coordinator, called the decision “a continuation of the sham process the DEQ and Governor Northam have shepherded through the citizen board process. It is extremely disappointing that the Air Board attempted to justify their willfully ignorant decision by spouting Dominion talking points which were completely irrelevant.” She concluded, “Northam succeeded by meddling in this hearing process. He removed two Air Board members who were asking pointed, difficult questions. The remaining members heard loud and clear how they should proceed. Northam gave Tom Farrell an air permit in an environmental justice community.”

BREDL is a regional social justice and environmental organization organized in 1984. It has chapters in six states including Virginia in the southeast United States.

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