(Dominion: Making friends and influencing enemies? Not in Nelson County. – promoted by lowkell)
The day after Dominion sued an additional 39 landowners to include Nelson’s Sheriff David Brooks, it hosted one of its dog and pony shows in Nelson County. Hundreds of landowners and citizens schooled Dominion on what it means to live in and be a part of a community.
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder, attendees broke out in song, singing the chorus from Robin and Linda Williams anti-pipeline song, “We Don’t Want Your Pipeline.” Later during the event, in support of an African American community which will be devastated if the ACP is ever built and whose ancestors were given land by their slaveholders after emancipation, citizens and landowners stood arm-in-arm belting out a revised version of the old hymn, “We Shall Overcome.”
Dominion’s tax projections given to the media and local governments were questioned. How Dominion would deal with the landslide propensity of Nelson’s thin soils on steep slopes; water quality protection; fire protection; and many other concerns were shared. Because of a natural gas pipeline explosion in Mississippi early Wednesday morning, many residents were quick to question Dominion’s safety record. The canned responses from Dominion were mostly unsatisfactory to landowners and community members alike.
Landowner Jeri McCoy Lloyd described her interaction with Dominion as “my blood is boiling with indignation, frustration, disbelief and anger.” She was seeking information on water quality and said Dominion’s information board said they could ensure water quality would not be impacted. But when speaking with a Dominion representative, the rep admitted that was not the case. McCoy-Lloyd has a spring as her water source and the Dominion representative replied no one has a spring as their only water source and since springs aren’t regulated, Dominion would do nothing if her spring was damaged during construction.
Landowner Heidi Cochran posted on her Facebook, “Dominion has not convinced me to say anything but NO to their pipeline! NELSON STRONG!” In an interview with NBC29 in Charlottesville, Cochran exclaimed,”The high impact zone for a pipeline is 1100 feet. What happens to my house, my children and animals when they are within 75 feet of this pipeline?”. Cheryl Kleuh, a member of the 40-year old cooperative community, Shannon Farm, posted to her FB page “Just got back from the Dominion Open House at Nelson High” above a photo of a lighted sign the opposition unveiled at the open house which read,”No Pipeline #Nelson Strong!”
Dominion’s Frank Mack admits 70% of Nelson landowners are still refusing survey and will be sued because Dominion believes it has the right to survey private property without landowner permission. Dominion has no plans, Mack says, to move the proposed pipeline out of Nelson County.
Photos were taken by Marion Kanour. Graphic in comments created by Charlie Wineberg
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