20140957 Ver 2_Against Letter_20180125

January 25, 2018
Dear Governor Cooper,
Governor Cooper, I am writing to respectfully request three public hearings, sponsored by NC
DEQ, to address the recent and unsatisfactory economic development concerns, claims, and
submissions by the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP). We know that you care about the
environment of our State. We have seen this with your courageous stand against off shore
drilling. Please continue to care as much about our most vulnerable environment and most
vulnerable populations - the indigenous people, the people of color, and so many others in
eastern NC who live along the route of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. We strongly urge you to take
as strong a stand against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline as you have done with offshore drilling.
Unfortunately, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline chose the worst possible route in the State for its
proposed pipeline. ACP considered other routes earlier, but just like our coastal communities
that you are protecting, those earlier routes would have taken the pipeline closer to wealthier
and less racially diverse communities. The pipeline has used economic development as its
major justification, arguing that the pipeline will be a benefit to the people in the 8 counties in its
path. But in its thousands of pages of submissions to NC DEQ and others it has failed to provide
persuasive data or details to support this claim.
The NC Department of Environmental Quality has been asking ACP questions about this claim
since September and ACP has repeatedly sidestepped the inquiries. I am writing to request that
the DEQ immediately hold public hearings in Robeson, Cumberland and Johnston Counties
regarding the ACP's economic development claims and submissions. These hearings will
enable you, the DEQ, and the Attorney General's office to hear public input about these
important questions and to review it as a part of the 401 Water Quality Permit application.
We respectfully ask that you authorize the Attorney General to IMMEDIATELY direct DEQ to
initiate public hearings to address the economic development concerns and other concerns,
claims and submissions by the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP).
Si
Sandy olyfield
7600 Kenneth Lane
Charlotte, NC 28227
Cc: Jenny Owen
Sadie Weiner
Jeremy Tarr
Michael Regan
Sheila Holman
Linda Culpepper
Dan Hirschman
Blake Thomas
JAN 3 0