Editor:

I write today to set the record straight on the impact of the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline in Buckingham County.

Pipeline critics continue to make false, uninformed claims about the impact of the compressor station. Compressor stations are needed to compress natural gas, increasing the pressure and providing the energy needed to move the gas through the pipeline.

My wife, Shirley, and I lived near a natural gas compressor station in West Virginia for many years. We recently traveled back to West Virginia and went by the compressor station. The station sounds could not be heard from more than a half-mile away on one side and more than 300 yards on the other side.

The visual and noise buffers that would be put in place in Buckingham would ensure a similar or likely even greater effect with the updated technology.

I also worked for 16 years in the construction operation of a natural gas pipeline and in the gas field. I know firsthand the kinds of safety and monitoring guidelines that are put in place to comply with federal and state environmental regulations — ultimately put in place to protect local communities.

I also know firsthand the employment opportunities that are afforded when new energy infrastructure is built and maintained. New jobs mean increased tax revenue and opportunities to attract more people and businesses to our region.

I urge you to learn more about natural gas before you throw stones.

Stephen Martin

Cumberland