Residents press county to oppose Swan compressor station; board declines MVP mitigation proposals

A large group of residents urged the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 10 to oppose a proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) Swan compressor station in Elliston and to reject MVP’s mitigation offers, which residents and supervisors characterized as inadequate.

During public address, speakers described health, environmental justice, and emergency‑access concerns. Emily Satterwhite summarized demographic and air‑quality data she said make the proposed location unsuitable, citing a Lafayette Area Household Survey and local purple‑air monitor readings. "Within 1 mile of the proposed compressor station, an estimated 50% to 58% of households qualify as low income," she said, and she urged the board not to endorse any agreement that commits Montgomery County to the facility.

Multiple speakers focused on emergency access and railroad grade crossings. Andrew Dolloff and others said MVP’s most recent proposal reduced promised emergency‑access improvements to a pedestrian bridge and removed larger road improvements and committed funding. "A footbridge cannot get an ambulance across," Cannery Road resident Penny Nunes said. Staff described two MVP proposals presented to the county: one combining a pedestrian bridge with limited emergency access (single‑lane, emergency personnel only, not suitable for fire trucks) and a second that offered only a pedestrian bridge.

County attorney and staff raised practical issues: the emergency access would be constrained by Norfolk Southern rights‑of‑way and would not allow fire trucks or full‑size ambulances to cross; the county would likely be asked to assume maintenance and liability for any structure; and Norfolk Southern’s approval and exact siting remained undecided.

After a work session discussion, the board indicated it did not want to pursue either proposal as presented. Supervisors instead asked county staff to request from Norfolk Southern the recorded data on grade‑crossing blockages (locations identified in public comment: Newtown Road, Cove Hollow Road, and Cannery Road) to quantify frequency and duration of disruptions before pursuing negotiated mitigation. The board also signaled continued skepticism about MVP’s commitments and asked staff to return with more substantive proposals if MVP wishes to proceed.

"We don't have bridge engineers working for the county," one supervisor said; another said the proposals appeared one‑sided and would saddle the county with long‑term maintenance and liability obligations. The board did not take any final policy vote on the compressor station itself during the meeting.