Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) announced Friday, June 29, that they have voluntarily stopped construction in Virginia. The news comes one day after Dr. Emily Satterwhite, Associate Professor of Appalachian Studies at Virginia Tech, locked herself to an MVP excavator at an active construction site in Montgomery County for over 14 hours.

The stoppage may be temporary, as MVP claims they will work with the VA Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to repair damage from violations incurred during construction. Pipeline work was also halted in areas of West Virginia by the 4th Circuit earlier this month. Folks from impacted communities say this is not enough, and the pipeline needs to be completely stopped.

“It doesn’t increase my confidence in DEQ at all. Why are they working with this company that has over 20 citizen-documented violations? Why is it more important for DEQ to maintain an amicable relationship with MVP than to be accountable to Virginians?”

On why she took action, Satterwhite said that Virginians have exhausted all other options. MVP has drawn thousands of complaints from a community that has already seen irreparable damage to their water. Residents of Giles, Montgomery, Roanoke and Franklin County (among countless others) have voiced their concerns about this pipeline in every conceivable way, with little success.

“Our letters, petitions, hearings and all of our good faith efforts to follow the rules and processes have failed us. The State Water Control board (SWCB) is not getting the information it needs to protect our water and Virginians. I didn’t know how else to communicate to SWCB that DEQ is not giving them all the information,” Satterwhite said.

“SWCB needs to meet before August 21st. SWCB needs DEQ to give them the information they need to do their job. Call DEQ and tell them to share 20 citizen-documented violations with SWCB,” Satterwhite added. The VA DEQ is available at (804) 698-4003.

Governor Northam has the authority to stop the pipeline, but he has not done so. He has not followed through on his campaign promise of “stream-by-stream” analysis for the pipeline. His office number is (804)-786-2211.

When asked what she wants concerned individuals to do about DEQ, she provided specifics.

“Call Northam and ask him to reappoint Roberta Kellam to the State Water Control Board. She’s knowledgeable about the issues and willing to serve again. The governor should announce her reappointment immediately to demonstrate he is acting in good faith to protect Virginia’s water.”

“I’m frustrated with representatives who want to pretend like this is out of their hands. The next generation of voters is completely disillusioned by their willingness to accept donations from EQT, Dominion, and other corporations. Virginians need to ask their elected representatives to convince Governor Northam that the future of the Democratic party in Virginia depends upon stopping these pipelines,” Satterwhite said.

Satterwhite’s action is the most recent of many direct actions against this pipeline, including aerial blockades and a previous construction lockdown.

She utilized a device called a “sleeping dragon” consisting of a thick metal cylinder. She chained her hands together inside the device, leading to a lengthy extraction process. She was eventually removed and arrested.

Watch the Extraction

Locals have have been resisting for years, and they are making MVP and fossil fuel corporations aware that they should expect fierce opposition to these destructive projects. Residents of Appalachia continue to fight pipelines and other forms of economic exploitation in a war that has been waged against them and their environmental resources for generations.

“I guess it was just my turn to step up,” Satterwhite said. “I recognize that not everyone can step up in that way. People who can need to do it. People who aren’t living paycheck-to paycheck, who are less at risk of losing their jobs. People who aren’t caring for aging parents or very young children. People who are able need to show up.”

Satterwhite is an employee of Virginia Tech, but her actions are unrelated to work at the university. Rather, they are that of a private citizen. She is 46 years old and a mother.

Across the easement, Satterwhite yelled to nearby supporters and pipeline workers, “This is not a game. It’s about our livelihoods and our very survival.”

MVP now says they are suspending construction due to erosion control issues. One spokesperson blamed the erosion control issues on increased rainfall this year.

(Picture from Mountain Valley Watch)

The corporation admitted that public feedback in conjunction with DEQ information contributed to their decision to stop work.

“It’s clear that no one wants the pipelines. We need jobs that aren’t temporary, jobs that don’t require people to move state-to-state building fossil fuel infrastructure that’s already obsolete. The only reason anyone is building pipelines is for rich people to get richer,” Satterwhite said

“This is about protecting our water, protecting our future,” Satterwhite said. “Not just for our generation but for the next generation, and the generation after that and the generation after that. Not just the life of the planet, but the soul of the people to have a say about what happens and how it happens.”

Satterwhite was released Thursday night on bond, telling WSLS reporters, “So many of us have been trying so hard for so long to hold the system accountable and to say ‘It’s not working, it’s not what people want, it’s not right.’”