Months ago, I was the first Democratic Candidate in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District to come out against the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines that would devastate our communities. Since then I’ve signed Activate Virginia’s pledge to refuse any contributions from Dominion or Appalachian Power, and the No Fossil Fuel Money pledge to make it clear that my constituent’s health, the environment, and economic security comes far above the profits of the fossil fuel industry
But running on a progressive platform in a rural R+6 district isn’t just about the press releases a campaign puts out. Instead, caring about the environment and speaking out against pipelines is about the message, values, and vision that a candidate has never backed down from and is going to bring to every part of this district. I think this short speech I gave below sums up who I am and more importantly why coming out against the pipeline, supporting family farms, and rural issues facing Virginians are the core of my platform.
The pipeline threatens our community’s land and our safety. It threatens the integrity of our water supplies. It’s perpetually unstable because of the karst topography and the constant threat of pipeline failures. It will speed up erosion, harm habitats of regional species, lower the surrounding property values, disrupt economic growth, and destroy acres of untouched land. Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline would send 1.5 billion cubic feet per day of fracked gas through our district; the Mountain Valley Pipeline would send 2 billion cubic feet through Pittsylvania and Franklin counties. Try as Dominion lobbyists might to convince us otherwise, these proposed pipelines are not worth the risks, and all of the costs will fall on the our communities.
The pipeline is not economically feasible. According to an independent report by Key-Log Economics, the ACP would cost Nelson County up to $24.5 million dollars a year, with an additional one time cost of $41 million. These costs are accrued in losses to property values, loss of tourism, loss in personal income, and loss in local tax revenue. The local annual tax payment of $3.2 million that Dominion and their conglomerates would pay on the pipeline does not even begin to cover these lost revenues. Meanwhile, ACP lobbyists try to convince us that the pipeline would also bring in jobs and economic revenue, but past pipelines have only benefited the national corporations, with little benefits for the local communities.
We’re already feeling the effects of proposed pipelines. For those who think these numbers are exaggerated, the negative effects of the pipeline have already hit home. Since 2015, business plans have been placed on hold and the real estate market has declined in affected communities. Wintergreen expects a 40% drop in business because of their inability to expand, the nearby Fenton Inn expects a 10% loss of income, and a planned resort in Nelson County would be permanently displaced. That’s real jobs and revenue lost for the residents of Highland, Augusta, Nelson, and Buckingham, to name a few. These areas would pay the price, not Dominion. Even more, there’s no way to prove that there is even a market demand for another pipeline. Recent studies have argued that the proposed demand Dominion foresees is completely exaggerated and unfounded.
Instead of giving into Dominion’s greedy domination of our land, we can prioritize the long-term health of the land while investing in steady jobs for rural Virginia by investing in renewable energy sources like solar and wind that require the ample land available in Central Virginia. Our unique resources of pristine land cannot be understated. In 2016 a Midwest company called FDC Enterprises came to our district for the unique opportunity to convert unused land to fields of wild flowers and switchgrass, which can then be harvested for their carbon dioxide to create a sustainable, non-polluting energy source. The company has grown from 200 acres to 3,000 and they only want to expand further. This company brings opportunities for landowners to cash in on unused land while decreasing our use of out of state oil.
The 5th district should be a prime target for energy entrepreneurs, not fossil fuel industries. But we are losing our chance at a competitive market because of the power we’ve given to Virginia utility companies. They fight against measures that would require utilities to purchase energy produced from cooperative energy projects actually owned by residents. They fight to double dip on infrastructure planning. And they continue to raise rates and hurt Virginia families.
But just yesterday, the 15 new freshman Democratic Delegates in Virginia sent a resounding message to Dominion: Democrats will no longer allow utility companies to buy their votes. They passed an amendment stripping Dominion’s ability to double-dip on infrastructure improvements that sent shockwaves to the top offices of the state’s largest corporate donor. The point is clear: Electing Democrats gives Virginians the best opportunity to fight for our land, environment, and economic energy sustainability.
I’ll fight to expand federal funding for green technology initiatives like USDA’s Rural Utilities Service Loan (RUS). I will not give into Dominion’s demands or allow for the federal government to dictate what we do with our land. The federal law has failed us by allowing eminent domain to be used for corporate gain. In Congress, I will ensure that the voices of our community make the decisions about our land, not big corporations. We need to protect the land in the 5th district to protect jobs, save communities, and provide for future generations. And we need a real representative in Congress to do just that.
Learn more about my progressive, rural campaign for Congress and read my entire platform: www.sneathernforcongress.com. And if I can count on your support to bring a real representative to Virginia’s 5th Congressional District and kick out the disastrous Tom Garrett, please consider making a donation: www.secure.actblue.com/donate/sneathern