Nelson celebrates cancellation of Pipeline

The non-profit organization Friends of Nelson held a celebration to commemorate the cancellation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and for the release of the book “Gaslight” by Johnathan Mingle who recorded the pipeline battle in the book.

In 2014, the 600-mile pipeline was proposed, which would have run from Harrison County, West Virginia, across Virginia, passing through Nelson County, leading to massive opposition. Several people who showed up to the well-attended event at Blue Mountain Barrel House on June 15 wore anti-pipeline shirts.

Friends of Nelson member Joyce Burton, who helped stop the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, is currently working with landowners and politicians to get Dominion Energy to release the easements, which are agreements between landowners and the company that allowed the construction of the pipeline.

Releasing these easements means the properties will revert to the landowners and energy companies will no longer need/have access to the property.

“After the pipeline project was canceled in July 2020, the Southern Environmental Law Center and Friends of Nelson shifted their focus from trying to stop the pipeline to lobbying the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ” Burton said.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulates electricity and natural gas.

According to Burton, this involves getting landowners out of their easements.

Burton said the easements were intended for Dominion to repair damage to properties caused during pipeline construction and that Friends of Nelson had contacted U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine about the issue.

“We have brought to his (Kaine’s) attention complaints from about a dozen landowners who have suffered no physical damage to their properties and are asking to be released,” Burton said.

According to Burton, in late 2023, Dominion released its test properties and also posted on its website that it was beginning to post all easements on district plans.

said Burton, noting that there are at least 50 additional easements that still need to be released.

Burton thanked Kaine for his help in convincing Dominion to release the properties and advocating against the pipeline.

“As of May 15, 65 easements have been released,” Burton said.

According to Burton, Friends of Nelson’s next step is to put pressure on Dominion again.

Burton also introduced Jonathan Mingle, the author of “Gaslight,” which is about the fight against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

“When I first heard about this independent science journalist named Jonathan Mingle, I had no idea the extent of his reporting. I immediately contacted him because it was important to get the media to pay attention to our fight,” Burton said.

Mingle read an excerpt from his book that details the pipeline fight from start to finish. For more information about Mingle and “Gaslight,” visit his website at https://www.jonathanmingle.com/books.