In one of more brazen news dumps that you’ll see, on the Friday before Christmas, the Virginia DEQ announced a 14-day comment period on documents submitted to the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board on the Buckingham County compressor station.
The period concludes on Jan. 14, and encompasses a time frame including four state-government holidays.
Yeah, wow.
“DEQ’s decision to schedule this comment period over Christmas and New Year’s is nothing more than an attempt to silence the vast majority of Virginians who will now be unable to participate,” said Kate Addleson, director of the Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club. “Buckingham County communities, including Union Hill, have already been through the ringer as this compressor station threatens their community, homes and health, and this extremely brief comment period adds further tension to an already stressful situation.”
Per the instructions of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board, the documents to be considered relate to questions and concerns on demographics and site suitability for the proposed air compressor station. The Board also clarified that the permit conditions – including the amendments that were discussed and approved at the Dec. 19 meeting – are not subject to this public comment period.
In addition, the Board made clear that any potential future health assessments discussed during the last meeting that relate to this permit will not be considered during this public comment period.
“There has been significant interest in this permit across the state,” DEQ Director David Paylor said. “Through their request for a minimum, or limited, public comment period, the Board has indicated the need to expedite this process. It’s understood that the public is anxious to get clarity about demographics and site suitability in the Board’s subsequent decision. As the Board also has a statutory deadline for this permit, the agency has a legal obligation to resolve this matter as efficiently as possible.”
Interesting comment there at the end about the “statutory deadline” for the permit.
This is a rush job, plain and simple.
“Virginians, just like Gov. Northam and those at DEQ, should be able to spend this time with their families and friends, not fighting against corporate polluters and government processes that have been bent to those corporations’ will. DEQ should extend the length of this comment period further into the new year in order to allow for adequate public engagement,” Addleson said.
The date and the location for the next Board meeting has not been set, but will be announced as soon as details are available.
More information, including the public notice, is available on the Commonwealth of Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website at townhall.virginia.gov.
Written comments are to be submitted to DEQ by Postal Mail or hand delivery to the Piedmont Regional Office, Re: Buckingham Compressor Station, 4949-A Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060; E-mail: [email protected]; or Fax: (804) 527-5106.
Story by Chris Graham
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