An extension of the recently announced scoping period for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) alternative route has been urged by the Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance (ABRA).
In a May 5 letter to the Federal Regulatory Commission (FERC), ABRA Chair and Executive Director Lewis Freeman asked that the agency extend the scoping deadline of June 2 for an additional 30 days. Freeman pointed out that when the agency established a scoping period for the original ACP route it was for 60 days, not the 30 days that has been set for the alternative route that goes through central Pocahontas County, W.Va., and into Bath County, Va., and up the Deerfield Valley portion of Augusta County.
Freeman noted that the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC has asked FERC to expedite consideration of its application.
“FERC’s review of the project and its preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement should be conducted with the utmost diligence in evaluating the sensitive ecological and other crucial issues associated with the ACP. It is essential that the agency make an informed judgment on the merits of the ACP proposal, based upon all facts and viewpoints, regardless of the desire of the applicant for an accelerated decision. Such an exercise of diligence by the agency requires that landowners newly affected by the ACP rerouting be given the same comment period that you provided other landowners along the route: 60 days.”
- A copy of the ABRA letter is available at: abralliance.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/05/FERC_ Sec_Bose_letter_urging_ scoping_period_extenstion_5-5- 16.pdf. - A copy of the FERC announcement is at: elibrary.ferc.gov/
idmws/file_list.asp?accession_ num=20160503-3002.
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