Environment Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Mountain Valley Pipeline Delayed Again, Cost Rises To $7.7 Billion

Equitrans Midstream, the builder of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, said Tuesday that challenging winter weather in January has delayed the project’s completion to the second quarter of the year.

The delays have also boosted the projected cost to nearly $7.7 billion from $7.2 billion.

In the company’s fourth quarter earnings presentation, President and CEO Diana Charletta said construction made good progress in the final months of 2023, but slowed down in January.

“Along with unforeseen construction challenges, throughout much of January, construction crews encountered adverse weather conditions, including precipitation well above 20-year averages,” she said. “While our construction plans took into account the potential effects of winter weather, these conditions were far worse and longer in duration than anticipated, imposing a significant impact on productivity, which, in turn, impeded our ability to reduce construction headcount. Collectively, these factors resulted in our updated timing and total project cost targets.”

The 303-mile, 42-inch pipeline is expected to transport as much as 2 billion cubic feet of gas per day from north central West Virginia to southern Virginia.

It faced many court challenges over the past several years from landowners and environmental groups. The project has been delayed multiple times.

Congress mandated its completion last year as part of the Fiscal Responsibility Act. It is a top priority for the state’s elected leaders and the gas industry.

A Deep Dive Into The ‘Women’s Bill Of Rights’

On this episode of The Legislature Today, the “Women’s Bill of Rights,” or House Bill 5243, would put certain definitions of “man” and “woman” into code and determine who can use single-sex spaces like restrooms and locker rooms. Democrats call it an “anti-trans” bill. We talk with lawmakers and stakeholders to get perspective.

On this episode of The Legislature Today, the “Women’s Bill of Rights,” or House Bill 5243, would put certain definitions of “man” and “woman” into code and determine who can use single-sex spaces like restrooms and locker rooms. Democrats call it an “anti-trans” bill. Randy Yohe spoke with the bill’s lead sponsor, Del. Kathie Hess-Crouse, R-Putnam, asking if her bill was fair to all.

Also, a public hearing was held on the “Women’s Bill of Rights,” where 20 speakers spoke in opposition to the bill and seven in support. As the bill advanced through the House, it gained an amendment to remove an exception in criminal code for marital rape. Briana Heaney sat down with Del. Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, and Molly Kennedy, a community outreach director at the American Civil Liberties Union, to discuss the bill. West Virginia Public Broadcasting tried several times to get one of the Republican sponsors of the bill to come on the show and discuss it, but they all declined.

In the House, one resolution and two bills on third reading dealt with helping preserve West Virginia history, increasing help for the coalfields economy and alcohol at community festivals.

In the Senate, the chamber approve seven bills. Six of those head to the House for consideration and one heads to the governor’s desk. The bills dealt with issues on landowner liability, retirement plans and burglary. The bill headed to the governor would streamline West Virginia’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics scholarship programs. The Senate advanced more than 10 other bills.

In committees, the Education committees of both chambers started the week off by advancing bills to improve management of local school districts. Chris Schulz has more.

Finally, it was E-Day at the Capitol, where environmental organizations gathered to speak to lawmakers. Solar power and community air monitoring were the main topics of discussion. Curtis Tate has this story.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Revitalization Of Communities Is EPA’s Focus In State, Ortiz Says

Adam Ortiz, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator for Region 3, says the EPA has invested half a billion dollars in West Virginia during the Biden presidency.

State and local environmental advocates welcomed a special guest to the Capitol Tuesday for E-Day.

Adam Ortiz, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator for Region 3, which includes West Virginia, came to the Capitol to speak to lawmakers and advocacy groups.

Ortiz says the EPA has invested half a billion dollars in West Virginia during the Biden presidency. That money has gone to improving water and wastewater systems and cleaning up abandoned coal mines and industrial sites.

“It’s not just cleaning up the stuff in the past but preparing this infrastructure for the future. So, it’s hard to attract a hotel to a community if you don’t have strong water systems, both drinking water and wastewater. So, we’re partnering with localities partnering with the state because we want to help West Virginia open its next chapter revitalization and you know, cleaning up the old stuff as part of that process.”

Ortiz says West Virginia has the infrastructure and the workforce to support its economic future. He says the EPA’s role is to help the state clean up the legacy pollution of its historical mining and industry.

“So our focus at EPA working with the state is on revitalization, taking a lot of these abandoned mine areas, as well as brownfields. And it wasn’t just coal production here, but also lots of chemicals and companies that are long gone. And often these sites, these properties are right in the middle of, you know, great old towns and cities, they’re connected to the water, they’re connected to the rail. So our job is to help the state clean them up and get them back online economically.”

Ortiz also praised the young people who came to the Capitol to speak out on environmental issues and share their ideas with lawmakers.

“So we’re really cheering on the young people, the universities and the schools for their environmental programs, because they’re going to have the baton before too long.”

Bill That Would Strike Down ‘Rolling Coal’ Sparks Senate Committee Debate

A bill that would restrict “rolling coal” — a form of protest in which drivers release thick clouds of smog from there vehicles — advanced in the West Virginia Senate on Monday, but not without pushback from some lawmakers.

A controversial bill that would prohibit “rolling coal” on roadways advanced in the West Virginia Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Monday — but not without pushback from some lawmakers.

Rolling coal refers to modifying diesel fuel in a motor vehicle in order to pollute the air with thick, dark smog. For years, rolling coal on highways has served as a display of allegiance to the coal industry in spite of mounting environmentalist pushback.

Elsewhere in the United States, lawmakers have restricted the form of protest in light of environmental, health and safety concerns associated with emitting a pollutant into the air.

Now, West Virginia legislators are considering their own restrictions on the practice. The West Virginia Senate is actively reviewing Senate Bill 436, which would render the contentious form of protest a misdemeanor.

The bill reached the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Monday, where discussions focused on the safety risk associated with reduced visibility on West Virginia roads.

Sponsored by Sen. Jack Woodrum, R-Summers, the bill penalizes deliberately selling, making or using diesel additives to produce “visible smoke emissions.” It would apply to all motorized vehicles on public roadways, but not on private land.

The bill passed through the committee Monday but drew pushback from senators who described it as a crackdown on pro-coal West Virginians, or an unnecessary piece of legislation to focus on.

Rolling coal refers to the deliberate emission of thick, black smog from a motor vehicle.
*Credit: toa555/Adobe Stock*

Sen. Robert Karnes, R-Randolph, was an outspoken critic of the bill during Monday’s meeting. Karnes alleged the pending law would suppress some West Virginians’ right to protest.

“People who are doing this rolling coal are simply expressing their support for West Virginia’s coal industry,” Karnes said. “This is an attack on people who support our coal industry.”

“We may not like that particular statement,” he continued. “But they have a right to express their political views.”

Others who voted to advance the bill said that, regardless of their own perceptions of the protests, the law would not mark a clear enough suppression of coal supporters’ rights to preclude it from further consideration.

“I don’t see this as an anti-coal bill,” said Sen. Glen Jeffries, R-Putnam.

Regardless, members of the committee agreed to scale back penalties for those who violate the law.

Under an earlier draft of the bill, repeat rolling coal offenders could face up to six months imprisonment. The committee deemed this excessive, and amended the bill so that violators would only incur fines up to $500.

With the committee’s approval, the amended bill will now return to the Senate where lawmakers will determine whether to send it to the House of Delegates.

In Appalachia, ‘Salamander Capital Of The World,’ Species Face Threats

Curtis Tate spoke with Will Harlan, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity, about the threatened salamander.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to list the West Virginia spring salamander on the endangered species list. Curtis Tate spoke with Will Harlan, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity, about the threatened salamander.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Tate: Your organization says there are fewer than 300 spring salamanders left, all of them in Greenbrier County.

Harlan: Yes, and that’s, that’s a generous estimate. They only exist in this single cave system with this single stream flowing through it. And despite the critical habitat protections that this new listing will provide, they only provide to the subsurface habitat of this species. Above it is all private land. And unfortunately, there is logging and pond construction that will threaten this stream, and its habit and in the underground habitat. So still, the species will still face some threats, even with this protection.

Tate: What can be done about it? Is a conservation easement possible?

Harlan: So there are certainly some steps that can be taken. And it’s still early. This is just the proposed rule, then the final rule has to be issued. And then there’ll be more specifics that follow, hopefully. The listing will encourage the private landowner to work with the Fish and Wildlife Service, the private landowners surrounding this habitat, to adopt habitat conservation plans that will mitigate the impacts to the species. Essentially what happens is, private landowners are asked to voluntarily take mitigation measures to reduce their impact to the species. Now, ultimately, Fish and Wildlife Service can be more strong-armed, but they prefer to work with landowners to try to come up with voluntary measures to reduce their impact on endangered species.

Tate: How does the spring salamander rank among endangered species?

Harlan: I would say this is one of the more endangered species in the country. With such a small population and only a single location remaining, it is incredibly vulnerable to extinction. And with no public lands surrounding it, it’s essentially dependent on private landowners to do the right thing at this point. And that makes it an incredibly precarious position. So I would say this is among the most endangered species in the country. Thankfully, Fish and Wildlife Service has stepped in. And provided not just endangered species status, but also critical habitat, which ensures that its essential habitat is permanently protected, and every possible measure is taken to ensure that upstream impacts are minimized. So it now has a fighting chance.

Tate: Why is it down to the one cave system? Is it possible to reintroduce it somewhere else?

Harlan: West Virginia and Virginia have some unique geography. They have these cave systems, there’s limestone, there’s karst, there’s different geologic formations. But there are numerous caves in the region. And a lot of them are connected through underground water systems. It’s possible, and likely that the West Virginia spring salamander existed in many caves throughout the region. But they’re incredibly sensitive to sedimentation and runoff. The streams are essentially their sole source of food. These salamanders are blind as adults, so they can’t look for their food, they have to wait for the food to come to them through these underground streams in their caves. And if those streams are loaded with sediment, if they’re clogged with silt, from logging, from development, from a number of human impacts, they’re not going to find food, they’re not going to survive. So likely, over many generations, they’ve been whittled down to the single population hanging on in this one remaining cave. They could be introduced into other caves, potentially, but that would take some careful scientific research to make sure that other species would not be negatively affected in those caves, including other rare salamanders. So it’s possible to reintroduce them, but I think we’d have to do some more research first.

Tate: Are other types of salamanders facing the same threats?

Harlan: Unfortunately, yes, they’re facing many of the same threats. But salamanders occupy a wide variety of niches, a wide variety of habitats. So some salamanders face different threats than others, but they all face some common themes in terms of threats. I think industrial logging, industrial mining, dams and developments, dilution of water quality, water pollution, I think are kind of some of the common threads. But I mentioned some other salamanders in West Virginia that are also on the brink, that we’re also awaiting a listing decision for could come any day. We were told it was supposed to come this month, so it could be within the next week.

The yellow spotted woodland salamander, almost a completely different habitat than the cave salamander, but some similar overlap too. So this salamander only exists in the shale and sandstone outcrops that are also targeted by mountaintop removal mining. So this salamander hides in the crevices of these outcrops; there’s only 21 populations left. Most of them are only a couple of a single or a couple individuals; only 65 of the salamanders have been seen in the last 20 years. So they’re barely hanging on. And mountaintop removal mining is targeting the same habitat where they live. So that’s an existential threat to this species.

But there’s also the Cheat Mountain salamander which only exists in the Cheat Mountain region of West Virginia. And these salamanders don’t have lungs, and they hide on the forest floor. Essentially, they need moist, cool damp habitats. And if those forests are logged, or drought, or other factors dry out their habitat, they’re toast. So they need these cool, moist habitats that Appalachia has historically provided all of our water, the number of rivers and streams flowing through the region and the dense canopies historically have provided perfect habitat for salamanders. This is the salamander capital of the world. Appalachia is home to more species of salamander than anywhere else on the planet. But because of what we’re doing to that habitat, we’re jeopardizing a lot of these species.

EPA Seeks To Cut Methane Emissions From Oil And Gas

It’s part of an effort to tackle one of the most problematic drivers of global warming.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story should have said companies can eliminate half their emissions with existing technology at no net cost.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said over the weekend that it will curb methane emissions from oil and gas production.

The EPA seeks to cut methane emissions from oil and gas by 80 percent over the next 15 years.

It’s part of an effort to tackle one of the most problematic drivers of global warming. Methane is many times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, though CO2 lasts longer in the atmosphere.

The rules would subtract 58 million tons of methane emissions, equivalent to 1.5 billion metric tons of CO2, the EPA said.

John Rutecki, regulatory and legislative manager in Appalachia for the Environmental Defense Fund, says companies can eliminate half their emissions with existing technology at no net cost.

“This will stop wasted gas,” he said. “So by keeping more energy in the pipeline, you’re obviously ensuring that you’re bringing more gas to market.”

The EPA’s methane rule will begin to take effect next year. One oil producer, BP, welcomed the rule.