DEQ reports Mountain Valley Pipeline construction complete; public commenter urges renewed scrutiny of Southgate redesign

DEQ staff member Davenport updated the board that construction on the Mountain Valley Pipeline project is complete and that gas flow began earlier in June. Davenport said the agency’s work has shifted to returning land disturbance to natural condition through regrading, reapplying topsoil, seeding and installing permanent stormwater controls; most areas are restored and some landowners have resumed agricultural use.

Davenport said third‑party compliance consultants conducted more than 350 inspections during post‑construction stabilization, identified 68 corrective actions and triggered 10 noncompliance events that generated $17,500 in stipulated penalties for the July–September quarter. Long‑term monitoring requirements remain in the Virginia Water Protection (VWP) permits for stream crossings (generally two years, with potential extension if needed) to ensure stabilization and water‑quality protection.

At the public forum, Jessica Sims of Appalachian Voices, a Henrico County resident, asked the board to require a full state permit review of a redesigned Southgate extension to the MVP and to remove MVP from a list of prohibited public‑comment agenda items. She said the Southgate redesign (route, diameter and capacity changes) will be resubmitted to FERC and to state agencies and that cumulative impacts with a collocated 42‑inch Transco project warrant closer scrutiny. Sims asked the board to ensure transparency and to allow local voices to comment on the permit reviews.