Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) led her Virginia Democratic colleagues, Reps. Don Beyer (VA-08), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) and Jennifer Wexton (VA-10), in submitting an amendment to the House Rules Committee to strip the Mountain Valley Pipeline permitting provision from the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. 

Initially announced in 2014, the Mountain Valley Pipeline would span approximately 303 miles from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia. Since construction began, the pipeline has over 450 documented water quality-related violations. 

“We are incredibly disappointed the Mountain Valley Pipeline was included in the bipartisan budget agreement,” said the lawmakers. “Permitting for the Mountain Valley Pipeline has nothing to do with our nation’s spending and should not be included in the budget agreement. This provision is a free pass for the pipeline and sidesteps our nation’s environmental laws and judicial review processes.” 

The amendment would fully remove the Mountain Valley Pipeline provision from the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. 

“We have serious concerns regarding the adverse climate and environmental justice impacts this project will have on vulnerable communities in our Commonwealth. Greenlighting the Mountain Valley Pipeline undermines our efforts to accelerate the deployment of clean-energy technologies and curb harmful greenhouse gas emissions,” continued the lawmakers. “This project would disproportionately impact the most vulnerable among us, including low-income, elderly, and tribal and Indigenous communities throughout Virginia. We urge the House Rules Committee to review this amendment quickly and bring it to the House floor for a vote.” 

Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) will introduce an identical amendment in the U.S. Senate.

Hundreds of environmental groups are opposed to the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Appalachian Voices led a letter with 149 other groups to Energy Secretary Granholm opposing the pipeline.

Read the full text of the amendment here.