Citizens of the South Rockfish Valley

Citizens of the South Rockfish Valley is a group of residents and business owners in the western part of Nelson County, Virginia. Our community is situated in a beautiful valley along approximately five miles of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (roughly MP160 - MP164).

Our membership is diverse; we're comprised of liberals and conservatives, libertarians and environmentalists. We're all united on one common goal: saving the Rockfish Valley from the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. We represent hundreds of households and businesses in a roughly 25+ square mile area that includes both the current route of the pipeline and alternate routes such as the recently proposed Spruce Creek variant. The collective value of our properties, businesses and land are likely north of $500M.

As a community, we are strongly opposed to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and will will use every legal means necessary to keep the South Rockfish Valley, and greater Nelson County free of this destructive pipeline.

Notably, our community overlaps with the newly designated (and Governor McAuliffe appointed) South Rockfish Valley Rural Historic District (and its 100+ historic properties).

In an August 30, 2016 letter from the Commonwealth of Virginia's Department of Historic Resources, State Historic Preservation Officer Julie Langan notes "[this historic district] is deemed a Virginia Treasure, an initiative of the McAuliffe Administration that preserves, protects and highlights Virginia's most important ecological, cultural, scenic, and recreational assets as well as its special lands."

On this statement, we couldn't agree more - the South Rockfish Valley is one of the most special places in the Eastern United States, and the importance of the ecological, cultural, scenic and recreational assets cannot be overstated.

The geological and topographical risks within the Rockfish Valley make the valley a dangerous place for a 42" natural gas pipeline. We are a mountainous area that experiences massive and catastrophic flooding, wildfires, significant seismic activity, and landslides. A Virginia Treasure and area of this national importance is simply not compatible with a high pressure, dangerous and unsightly pipeline.

We will protect our families lives and our livelihoods at all cost.