The following is a statement by Dominion Energy spokesperson Aaron Ruby regarding the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s waiver of the 401 Water Quality Certification for the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline:
 
“Today’s decision by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is another significant milestone for the project and a key step toward beginning construction later this year. This brings West Virginia one step closer to the thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity the project will bring to communities across the state.
 
We commend the agency’s staff for the years of hard work and careful study they’ve dedicated to reviewing the project. The agency believes this approach is the best way to protect West Virginia’s natural resources, and we support the agency’s decision. The agency’s decision was reached after a thorough and exhaustive review of the project and after considering extensive public input. The agency followed a rigorous process, and it’s left no stone unturned.
 
At every stage of the project we’ve taken great care to meet the highest standards for the protection of water quality. In many cases, we’ve gone above and beyond regulatory requirements and adopted some of the most protective measures ever used by the industry. This should assure all West Virginians that the pipeline will be built safely and in a way that protects the state’s water quality.
 
We’ll continue working with all state and federal agencies to complete the environmental review process this year and make this urgently needed infrastructure project a reality.”

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