Wild Virginia helped lead statewide policy proposals by co-authoring papers in the 2025 version of the Virginia Conservation Network (VCN) publication Our Common Agenda. 

As explained by VCN, the Common Agenda is “the most comprehensive overview of Virginia’s environmental policy landscape. A collection of papers written by, vetted through, and voted on by VCN’s 170+ Network Partners, this briefing book explains the Commonwealth’s environmental policy background and potential opportunities for clean water & flood resilience, land & wildlife conservation, land use & transportation, climate & energy, and good governance.” 

Wild Virginia is proud to have led in development of five of the briefing papers in 2025.

This time we feature PREVENTING PIPELINE HARMS.

Continued development of fossil fuel infrastructure is contrary to long-term goals to combat climate change and to make the long-overdue transition to increasingly cost-effective renewable energy sources. 

And as stated in the paper: “Water and air pollution from fossil fuel development impedes the goals set in federal and state policy, and the resulting harms tend to fall disproportionately on communities of color, households of low-income, and elderly communities.” Wild Virginia has documented the degradation of our waters and communities by the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) for years (see “Mountain Valley Pipeline Pollution in Virginia Watersheds“), and the same kinds of problems are sure to result from new pipelines. These findings heighten the need to oppose the weak regulatory approaches that have allowed these destructive projects to go forward with little restraint.

Policy Proposals to Prevent New Pipeline Construction

While a ban on new pipelines is not currently achievable, a path forward must include strong oversight of any project that is proposed, as expressed in the VCN paper:

Any new fossil fuel build-out, including both interstate and intrastate pipelines, must be thoroughly and holistically scrutinized through processes that fully engage and respect the public’s views and interests. . . .Virginia lawmakers can strengthen state review of projects and increase public involvement and participation in those reviews and streamline opportunities to report problems.

These are goals Wild Virginia and our allies have pursued and will continue advocate for, through both regulatory and legislative reform campaigns.

Delegate Rasoul’s Attempt to Make Pipelines Safer

In addition to the environmental and climate threats, serious safety risks are created for homeowners and communities, especially near pipelines carrying explosive fracked gas. Delegate Sam Rasoul, who has consistently fought to protect the people and environments under siege from MVP and other bad projects, proposed a common sense solution to lessen pipeline safety concerns, in the 2025 General Assembly session.

Most people are familiar with a characteristic “rotten egg” odor signaling that natural gas has been released into the air. Many don’t know that that familiar smell comes from a chemical additive called mercaptan, and that natural gas alone is odorless. Mercaptan is added to warn the public of danger and is particularly useful in finding leaks and avoiding the risk of explosions. Currently though, for many miles of pipelines passing near homes and through neighborhoods, this protective measure is not required.

The version of Del. Rasoul’s House Bill 2545 that was moving through the House of Delegates was designed to correct that flaw. It would have required that “any combustible gas transported by intrastate transmission pipelines in the Commonwealth shall be adequately odorized so that a concentration of the gas in air of one-fifth of the lower explosive limit is readily detectable by the public and employees of the pipeline operator.” Thus, the measure would have given a warning before explosive conditions were created so pipeline companies and emergency services personnel could act to prevent harm. Inexplicably, HB 2545 was killed in the House Labor and Commerce Committee thus depriving Virginians of a necessary and reasonable measure of assurance – for now.

We Need You

Be assured that Wild Virginia will continue to oppose damaging new pipeline projects and push for increased safety measures. We are currently battling against the MVP Southgate and Southeast Supply Enhancement Project. Please help us carry on continued efforts in our Campaign for Virginia’s Water Future by supporting Wild Virginia. Your support makes us stronger and more effective in preventing environmental harms to our Commonwealth.