In honor of Earth Day 2021, I want to address the current issue regarding the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP).

Just two days ago, more than 60 conservation and environmental groups urged Biden officials to suspend the permits and approvals by the Trump administration for the controversial pipeline, according to the international nonprofit environmental organization NRDC.

The 300-mile long pipeline, proposed in 2014, carries fracked gas from northern West Virginia to southside Virginia.

The MVP has already caused irreparable harm to landscapes and clean water while receiving more than $2 million in penalties for 350+ environmental violations mainly regarding improper erosion and storm water management, according to NRDC.

The effects of improper erosion includes the loss of fertile land and increased pollution and sedimentation in streams and rivers which clogs waterways causing declines in fish and other species. Degraded land also worsens the affects of flooding.

In West Virginia, the pipeline would also result in permanent impacts on about 865 acres of core forest areas which are significant wildlife habitat, according to the region’s grassroots advocate Appalachian Voices.

Moreover, the dangers don’t just end there.

“If completed and operated, the Mountain Valley Pipeline would add nearly 90 million metric tons of carbon pollution per year to the atmosphere—equivalent to the emissions from 23 U.S. coal plants, or more than 19 million passenger vehicles driven every year,” says the NRDC.

In addition, with the detrimental effects that have already taken place the statistics show that the immediate need for MVP’s fracked gas is no where to be seen. The five corporations who have committed to buying the gas may never even need to use it.

MVP has also been called the most expensive proposed pipeline in the United States as over the past 5 years the price tag has skyrocketed from $3.2 billion to $6.5 billion as estimations for the completed project continue to rise.

Furthermore, education is key to understanding the extent of damage pipelines cause to the environment. It is also necessary to address that this incident is not singular, but that corporations continue to build pipelines across the country at the expense of the land’s natural resources.

In order to take action, it’s pertinent to speak out in any way you can by finding organizations who support this fight and looking at what you can do to help them. This includes signing petitions to urge senators to use their power or giving donations to support protestors in their fight for the cause.

Resources:

Sign Petition HERE

Donate HERE