Va. Lawmakers Back Pipeline That Would Deliver Gas from W.Va.

A coalition of Hampton Roads state legislators is lining up behind the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

The 33 members of the General Assembly collectively known as the Hampton Roads Caucus expressed their backing for the massive natural gas project in a letter to Virginia’s U.S. senators, Democrats Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.

The pipeline would deliver natural gas from West Virginia and through Virginia and into North Carolina, covering more than 550 miles. The $5 billion energy project is backed by Dominion Resources and other energy companies.

In the letter, the caucus says the region’s natural gas transportation system has “reached a tipping point.” Members describe the pipeline as necessary for the region’s economy.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is reviewing the project.