Stop Mountain Valley Pipeline Toolkit

*updated 6/26/2024

  1. Respond to FERC's decision to grant in-service status
  2. Contact your legislators!
  3. Contact PHMSA - Answers are still needed!
  4. Amplify social media and news coverage of this issue!

Context:

Despite accruing hundreds of water quality violations, causing harm to farms, water resources, species and the livelihoods of those along the route, and failing hydrostatic testing, resulting in a still-underway study, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted “in-service” status to Mountain Valley Pipeline and the pipeline was placed in service on Friday, June 14. The community needs answers about the study, additional rest reports and assurance that there is monitoring of the pipeline.

Thank you for your help and please continue to advocate for those along the route of the pipeline.

(to download images, visit this folder)

 

  1. Respond to FERC’s decision to grant in-service status!

After months of silence from both FERC and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA), FERC granted MVP’s in-service request on June 11. This happened while the results of the study of the ruptured pipe have not been finished nor shared. Communities need to know when the pipeline will be operational and still need additional safety and reporting information from PHMSA. The pipeline was placed into operational service on Friday, June 14th.

1) Submit a comment into docket CP16-10-000 via www.ferc.gov or via eComment here.

Sample WRITTEN script – modify it to make it personal!

The decision by Director of the Office of Energy Projects, Terry Turpin to grant in-service status of MVP was premature and it is unconscionable that the pipeline was placed in service on June 14. The pipe that ruptured on May 1 is still undergoing metallurgical study. Another rupture occurred on June 4. Quarterly inspection reports from 2024 show dozens of anomalies and there is no information available about testing in many of the Virginia spreads. The FERC staff inspection (“the week of May 13-17”) occurred before construction was even complete. Much of the route has not been restored. The public has been continuously kept in the dark and your agency played a huge role in diminishing the voices of those directly impacted. For the safety of communities impacted by this unnecessary, violation-riddled project, please provide information on final restoration timelines, continued FERC monitoring and compressor station blowdowns.

2) Contact the FERC Office of Energy Projects: 202-502-8700

Ask: Why did you keep the community in the dark the entire time you reviewed the in-service request?

  1. Call your legislators’ offices

For elected officials along the MVP route - ask them to find out when the project will commence operation.

Sample script# 2: “My name is ____ (and I am your constituent). FERC’s decision to grant in-service status to MVP was premature. The pipe that ruptured on May 1 is still undergoing metallurgical study. Quarterly inspection reports from 2024 show dozens of anomalies and there is no information available about testing in many of the Virginia spreads. The FERC staff inspection (“the week of May 13-17”) occurred before construction was even complete. Much of the route in VA has not been restored. The public has been continuously kept in the dark and yet, MVP began operations. Can you please help provide the results of the studies and inspection reports for spreads G, H, and I in Virginia? Will you seek emergency management funding for the counties on the route?

Virginia

Federal

Senator Mark Warner - DC Office (202) 224-2023; Roanoke office: (540) 857-2676

(additional offices)

Constituents please submit a comment here

Representative Morgan Griffith 

DC Office (202) 225-3861; Christiansburg office: (540) 381-5671

Constituents please submit a comment here

Senator Tim Kaine

DC Office (202) 224-4024; Roanoke office: (540) 682-5693  (additional offices)

Constituents - please submit comment here

_____________________________________________________________________

Virginia State Officials

“My name is ____ (and I am your constituent). FERC’s decision to grant in-service status to MVP was premature. The pipe that ruptured on May 1 is still undergoing metallurgical study. Quarterly inspection reports from 2024 show dozens of anomalies and there is no information available about testing in many of the Virginia spreads. The FERC staff inspection (“the week of May 13-17”) occurred before construction was even complete. Much of the route in VA has not been restored. The public has been continuously kept in the dark and yet, MVP began operations. Can you please help provide the results of the studies and inspection reports for spreads G, H, and I in Virginia? Will you seek funding to support emergency management services for the county you represent?

Senator Bill Stanley (540) 821-3066 (Franklin)

Senator David Suetterlein (540) 302-8486 (Parts of Montgomery, Roanoke)

Senator Christopher Head (540) 283-2839 (Craig)

Senator Travis Hackworth (276) 345-9112 (Giles)

Senator Tammy Mulchi (434) 374-5129 (Pittsylvania)

Delegate Jason Ballard (540) 787-5011 (Giles, Montgomery)

Delegate Terry Austin (540) 254-1500 (Craig)

Delegate Joseph McNamara *confirming phone# (Roanoke County, part of Roanoke City & Salem)

Delegate Joseph Obenshain (804) 698-1041 *in session# (Part of Montgomery, Roanoke)

Delegate Will Davis (540) 963-5221 (Franklin, part of Roanoke)

Delegate Danny Marshall (434) 797-5861 (Part of Pittsylvania)

Delegate Eric Phillips (434) 326-5878 (Part of Pittsylvania)

Delegate Eric Zehr (434) 333-6333 (Part of Pittsylvania)

*Delegate Sam Rasoul (Part of City of Roanoke) has submitted this letter asking for denial signed by 22 other VA legislators

West Virginia

Federal

Senator Joe Manchin (202)-224-3954 - ask his office to help public info from PHMSA

Representative Shelley Capito (202) 224-6472

Sample script for Manchin/Capito: “My name is ____ and I am a constituent. FERC’s decision to grant in-service status to MVP was premature. The pipe that ruptured on May 1 is still undergoing metallurgical study. Quarterly inspection reports from 2024 show dozens of anomalies and there is no information available about testing in many of the Virginia spreads. The FERC staff inspection (“the week of May 13-17”) occurred before construction was even complete. Much of the route in VA has not been restored. The public has been continuously kept in the dark and yet, MVP began operations. Can you please help provide the results of the studies and inspection reports for spreads G, H, and I in Virginia?

  1. Ask legislators to tell FERC - no ‘in-service’ date without completed consent agreement!
  1. Sample tweet:
  1. .[LEGISLATOR] @PHMSA_DOT Mountain Valley Pipeline ruptured during hydrostatic testing! The results are not known and in-service status is premature!

  1. Contact agencies - No ‘in-service’ date allowed!

  1. Tweet PHMSA
  1. @PHMSA_DOT MVP’s pipe failure from May 1 is still under study! Why did you prematurely recommend in-service status?
  2. @PHMSA_DOT the public needs answers! What is the result of the metallurgical study?
  1. Call PHMSA 202-366-4433
  1. Ask them:
  1.  Why did they give a reporter a statement about MVP instead of updating the public? There remains no
  2. Why they ignored public inquiries on this issue
  3. Why they would recommend in-service status BEFORE the results of the metallurgical study of the ruptured pipe are know
  1. Email PHMSA 
  1. karen.gentile@dot.gov (Community Liaison)
  2. Nitander.Raju@dot.gov (Community Liaison for MVP)
  1. Tweet Secretary Pete Buttigieg
  1. @SecretaryPete @PHMSA_DOT Mountain Valley’s pipeline ruptured during hydrostatic testing! Why did your agency give a green light to MVP before pipe study was complete?

  1. Amplify social media and news coverage of this issue!

Amplify reactions to the in-service news:

https://powhr.org/government-allows-failing-mvp-to-go-in-service/

https://twitter.com/POWHR_Coalition/status/1800643725644673164

https://twitter.com/AppVoices/status/1800649789647753513

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/uxK5uEe5EXs9xsqp/ 

https://wildvirginia.org/ferc-again-fails-the-public-allows-risky-mvp-to-rush-forward/ 

Previous news coverage of this issue: