Sediment pollution washes into a river along the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s route in Virginia. SB 472 would gut North Carolina regulators’ ability to protect us from this type of dangerous impact from pipelines and other big projects.
What is Senate Bill 472? + Take Action!
This bill would require the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to act on a 401 water quality certification application, within 5 DAYS. If NC DEQ doesn’t act within 5 days after receiving the full application, that means the project can move forward with out it!
Why is this important?
401 water quality certifications are the main way North Carolina protects our water from pollution from big new projects. Regulators consider the potential pollution caused by a proposed project and input from the public. Then they make decisions about how to protect our waterways from pollution. 5 days it not enough time to do this right or get real community input. A timeline this short takes away your voice.
The goal of this bill is to force DEQ to waive permitting on complicated projects. 5 days is an impossible time frame for complex water quality certification applications. Projects that cross several miles and multiple water bodies, like methane gas pipelines, can’t be reviewed in 5 days.
Call & email your legislator today! Find their contact info here.
