Virginia Town Postpones Vote on Atlantic Coast Pipeline Easements

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The Norfolk City Council postponed a vote on whether to grant easements for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline to cross two drinking water reservoirs, the only ones in the project’s path.

The Virginian-Pilot reports the council was scheduled to consider the issue Tuesday night but rescheduled the vote for Dec. 19.

Senior city staffers and Dominion Energy, the natural gas pipeline’s lead partner, say they’re confident it can be safely routed under the reservoirs. But opponents say it could threaten drinking water.

If the city rejects the request, Dominion and its partners could turn to eminent domain.

The pipeline would start in West Virginia, cross Virginia and run into North Carolina. A spur off the main line would run from near the North Carolina-Virginia border to Chesapeake.