Protestors Confront Forest Service Over Mountain Valley Pipeline in Virginia

Approximately twenty people occupied the lobby of the Forest Service’s Supervisor Office on Valleypointe Parkway in Roanoke Monday morning to demand a meeting with the supervisor of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, Joby Timm. The group of residents and forest defenders sought the meeting to express frustration with the Forest Service’s Draft Record of Decision and the limitations placed on public comments in the process.

The individuals gathered around 10:30 am in the lobby of the locked Forest Service office to seek a direct line of communication with Supervisor Timm after other residents were declined a meeting with Timm earlier in the week. They carried signs saying “No Pipelines for Fracked Gas”, “No Pipelines Anywhere” and “We Will Not Remain Silent”.

The Draft Record of Decision claims that the Forest Service has four options when a project is not consistent with the Forest Plan where the project will occur: “(1) modify the proposed project to make it consistent with the Forest Plan; (2) reject the proposal; (3) amend the Forest Plan so that the project would be consistent with the plan as amended; or (4) amend the Forest Plan simultaneously with the approval of the project so the project would be consistent with the plan as amended.”

Large numbers of public comments and scientific evidence were submitted prior to the Draft Record of Decision demonstrating that the 303 mile long MVP cannot be constructed without irreparable harm to water quality because of the area’s karst geology and steep terrain of the route.

West Virginia resident Laurie Ardison told Timm, “We are facing the total destruction of Peters Mountain. There is no way to mitigate the damage done to the karst, there is none, it is not possible.” Ardison went on to remind Timm, “you are a critical component in saving this environment, and so many lives that are threatened by the pipeline.”

Despite the multitudes of evidence and public outrage, the Forest Service has chosen to weaken its existing protections of the forest and allow the project to move forward without meeting existing Forest Management standards.

The individuals protesting Monday morning were clear in their message to Timm: “Do not weaken the forest management plan to allow construction of the MVP.” They encouraged him to do his job to protect public lands from corporate gain. Timm explained that the Forest Service was merely following a requisite process and that the Record of Decision would be released on Friday this week barring any significant changes. A forest defender replied, “You may have your required process, but so do we.” The protesters began to chant resolutely “Defend the forest or we will!” and peacefully dispersed.