When Congress placed a thumb on the scale to mandate approval of Mountain Valley Pipeline’s permits in June 2023, construction resumed and communities along the route expressed deep concerns about the use of degraded materials and rushed construction practices.
Along the route of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, citizen monitors have watched a frenzy of workers hurriedly lower sun-bleached and degraded pipe into trenches, burying as much material as possible. Although safety concerns led the agency tasked with pipe safety, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, to issue a consent agreement, the agreement has not brought peace of mind.
In September, a Dominion Energy contractor illegally dumped mud across state lines in a West Virginia stream. Authorities continue to investigate and clean up the site.
Cullowhee Valley School fifth-grader Liam Tormey’s testing of the Tuckasegee River led to Western Carolina University staff taking steps to reduce future sediment pollution.
A new smart phone app will allow individuals to monitor sediment pollution in rivers and streams. The information collected can be reported to environmental watchdogs.
