Virginia grants Mountain Valley Pipeline stream crossing permit
Wednesday, December 22, 2021
The Virginia Water Control Board voted 3-2 last week to grant a permit for the Mountain Valley Pipeline to cross about 150 streams and wetlands in the southwest part of the state, according to Miami Herald.
The Mountain Valley Pipeline still needs to obtain a similar permit from West Virginia and federal approval.
Upon completion, the planned 303-mile pipeline will transport natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations through West Virginia and Virginia.
Learn more: Miami Herald > Virginia board OKs stream-crossing permit for gas pipeline
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.