Richmond, VA –  Today, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the state’s air permit for a proposed compressor station in the historic African American community of Union Hill, Virginia.

The compressor station is part of the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would carry fracked-gas from West Virginia, through Virginia and on to North Carolina. The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board granted the Atlantic Coast Pipeline developers a permit for a large compressor station in early 2019. Several organizations argued before the court that the permit falls short of protecting the people of Union Hill from environmental hazards that would be created from the proposed compressor station.
In response, Kendyl Crawford, Director of Virginia Interfaith Power & Light, released the following statement:

“Virginia Interfaith Power & Light celebrates this important acknowledgement of the community’s identity and the direct citation of environmental justice concerns by the Fourth Circuit.

Although we expect an appeal of this ruling, we will continue advocating with the people of Union Hill.

Unfortunately, there remain many more ‘Union Hill’s across the state of Virginia whose cases are not in the courts and who do not have the support of national leaders. We must codify the Environmental Justice Council and pass the Virginia Environmental Justice Act during this General Assembly session to ensure that all communities have safeguards from the disproportionate impacts of environmental burdens.”
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About Virginia Interfaith Power & Light: Virginia Interfaith Power & Light is a nonprofit organization that collaborates, as people of faith, to grow healthy communities and advance climate justice through education, advocacy, and worship with over 2,500 supporters across the state. For more information, visit https://www.vaipl.org