The Header Improvement Project is a proposed project by Virginia Natural Gas (VNG) to install three new gas pipelines and three new compressor stations. This will range from Northern Virginia all the way to Hampton Roads. Many are opposed to this proposal, calling it the “Header Injustice Project,” citing its potential to increase noise pollution, reduce water quality and a threat to public safety.

Today people had the opportunity to speak out against this proposal at the State Corporation Commission Public Hearing. We spoke with Tiziana Bottino of Mother’s Out Front and the PWC Soil and Water Conservation. She provided the PW Perspective with a summary of her comments to the SCC earlier this afternoon.

“I am here today to urge you to deny the Virginia Natural Gas Header Injustice Project’s certificate of necessity. The Transco Interconnect compressor station and pipeline that is being proposed will inevitably result in gas leaks and could significantly affect 38 acres of farmland, 83 acres of forestland, and 27.5 acres of wetlands that is within a 100-foot radius of this project in Prince William County.”

She goes on to echo the sentiments of those who called to express their displeasure of the project’s continuation in light of a global pandemic. She states that in addition to an unnecessary economic need, it will have long range effects to the citizens of the county.

“I am very concerned about the impacts on our drinking water in Prince William County considering the Occoquan Reservoir Intake is also in the pathway of the pipeline construction and it is a major drinking water source for all of Northern Virginia.”

Although Dominion Energy recently told state regulators that a significant build out of fracked gas is no longer viable in the state of Virginia due to renewable energy legislation laws, the project is scheduled to be completed by 2022.

For more information about this project, visit Mother’s Out Front at their site.