MVP contractor not adhering to Virginia Governor’s emergency order

We will be blogging individual articles from The League Line, our quarterly newsletter

Spring 2020 issue: http://bredl.org/theleagueline/Spring2020.pdf
Index to this and other issues: http://bredl.org/theleagueline/index.htm

~By Mark Barker 

On March 12 Virginia Governor Northam declared a State of Emergency to combat COVID-19.  Governor Northam directed state agencies to limit in-person meetings and non-essential, work-related gatherings.   Five days later on March 17 he announced additional measures saying, “Everyone must play a role to help flatten the curve and mitigate the spread of this virus, and that starts with social distancing…”

On March 23, Governor Northam took further steps to slow the impacts of COVID-19.   He ordered the closure of certain non-essential businesses and urged all Virginians to avoid non-essential travel outside the home.  This was reinforced a week later on March 30 when the Governor issued a Stay at Home order effective until June 10. According to the state press release, this order is “to protect the health and safety of Virginians and mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.” It directs all Virginians to stay home except in extremely limited circumstances. 

ESI vehicles parked off a rural road in Franklin County, VA on April 7

On April 7, many employees of an out of state MVP contractor, who specializes in environmental studies, were observed working along the incomplete MVP route in Franklin County.   Our chapter Preserve Franklin observed several Environmental Solutions and Innovations (ESI) vehicles, mostly with Ohio tags.  

It's hard to imagine why an incomplete natural gas pipeline would qualify as an essential business.  Not to mention the non-essential travel involved. It does no good for Franklin County citizens to follow Governor Northam’s orders to stay home when outsiders, who could very well be carrying the COVID-19 virus into our rural communities, are moving throughout the area. The ESI workers were also observed not following  social distancing guidelines.

This is just another blatant example of MVP not following the rules and endangering communities along its path.