GLENDALE SPRINGS, N.C. — The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) sent a letter of complaint to Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring on Aug. 15 regarding the BREDL’s claim that the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is in violation of state water quality statutes.

“In order to come into compliance, Virginia DEQ must permit each stream and waterbody crossing individually, not collectively,” officials said in the letter. “Our review of statutes, rules and jurisprudence indicates that the site-specific permitting process for natural gas pipelines is a preferable, necessary and prudent means of protecting water quality which complies with both federal and state law.”

The claim regards the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP), which is a 600-mile natural gas pipeline that would begin in West Virginia, span Virginia and end in North Carolina. A 42-inch pipeline would span Buckingham County, and cross Cumberland and Prince Edward counties. The project has been hotly contested in Buckingham.

“If approved and constructed, would deliver up to 1.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas,” officials said in the letter.