Court Halts VA Pipeline Over Flawed Environmental Justice Assessment

WASHINGTON – The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today vacated a permit to build a compressor station for the proposed Atlantic Coast gas pipeline, citing a Virginia state board for inadequately assessing its environmental justice impacts on the largely African American community of Union Hill. 

The following is a statement from Dawone Robinson, Eastern regional director for energy affordability at the Natural Resources Defense Council: 

"This is a major public health victory for the people of Union Hill, and a positive signal to countless communities on the frontlines of environmental injustices from fossil fuel development. No one should be forced to breathe toxic air or drink polluted water from dangerous projects planted in their midst. Environmental justice isn't just a slogan; it's how to protect too-often disproportionately impacted communities from harm." 

Please see this video: Dawone Robinson discusses the need to act now on racial injustice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDJRHcoMMtU 

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at NRDC.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.​