We object to the Farm Bureau's support for SB 657 and ask for the Farm Bureau to change their position to opposing SB 657 for the following reasons:

Current state code requires the Air Pollution Control Board and the State Water Control Board to issue permits according to DEQ staff recommendations unless there is a valid legal reason not to. It's not necessary to change the state code to take the citizen oversight and power to issue permits away from the citizen boards and give it to the DEQ.

The DEQ continues to make exceptions for MVP and hasn't been enforcing environmental laws. This has created long delays for MVP's projects when the courts do enforce the laws by taking away MVP's permits. The DEQ hasn't required MVP to restore the land where the pipes are already in the ground. The DEQ hasn't required MVP to plant ground cover to protect the soils according to state policies.

Evidence has been submitted to the Office of the State Inspector General to investigate why DEQ staff haven't been enforcing state and federal environmental laws.

Farmers' land was seized by quick take eminent domain based on a Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) contractor testifying in federal court that MVP pipes needed to be in the ground within six months or they would be compromised. It's been years since MVP pipes have been lying on farm land exposed to the elements. Did MVP's contractor tell the truth in court or have MVP's pipes been compromised and can no longer be used for this project. Either way MVP's unfinished project is preventing farmers from being able to farm their land. Once a farmer is forced to "give" an easement to the MVP and monies have been paid, then the farmer is forbidden to speak openly against the project.

Farm land has been destroyed by the MVP, incomes have been lost, and people have lost their lives due to the stress from MVP's construction ripping up their land and destroying their water sources.

The people of our Commonwealth require citizen boards that have the power to hear concerns from the lawyers, scientists, engineers, farmers and others before issuing permits in order to protect the interest of farmers.