The NC Pipeline Watch initiative, driven by clean air and water advocates, is established to monitor the construction of the Southeast Supply Enhancement Project (SSEP) pipeline. This project involves volunteers and staff from organizations such as 7 Directions of Service, Clean Water for North Carolina, Yadkin Riverkeeper, Haw River Assembly, and the Sierra Club. Community participation is crucial, as volunteers will monitor SSEP construction activities by water, land, and air.

The primary goal is to ensure that any potential violations are reported to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Volunteers will employ various observation methods, including foot patrols, boat trips, and airplane surveillance, to detect potential infractions, spills, and pollution. There is an SSEP Volunteer Monitoring Guide with detailed instructions, a central submission page, and other resources for residents to report problems or connect with organizers for training. Experts will review submissions and report confirmed violations to the DEQ for enforcement.

The NC Pipeline Watch project is based on models like the Mountain Valley Watch and the Pipeline Compliance Surveillance Initiative, programs that encouraged the participation of volunteer observers and local residents to document potential environmental violations and report them to regulatory agencies. With the support of advocacy groups such as the West Virginia Rivers Coalition and POWHR, these efforts generated public pressure, resulting in violation notices and stricter enforcement in Virginia and West Virginia, along the Mountain Valley Pipeline.

Dave Fairall, from the Foothills Group of the Sierra Club and a NC Pipeline Watch volunteer, expressed his pride and sadness in participating in this initiative, highlighting the need for this effort due to cuts in the EPA, which is responsible for ensuring compliance with environmental regulations on major infrastructure projects like the SSEP. Under the current administration, over a third of the EPA's staff has been eliminated.

Crystal Norford, Environmental Organizer and Researcher with Clean Water for North Carolina, emphasized that the health of North Carolina's waterways is at risk due to this dangerous construction. The SSEP Watch empowers residents to use their skills and voices to protect their communities and water resources from the harm this project could cause.

7 Directions of Service has also launched a Toxic Tour, stopping in communities along the Southeast Supply Enhancement (SSEP) pipeline route to raise awareness, share stories, and connect with neighbors. The next tour stop is in Reidsville on March 31, from 5 to 8 p.m.

Dr. Crystal Cavalier-Keck, Executive Director of 7 Directions of Service, indicated that as pipeline development advances, their work shifts accordingly. They are mobilizing directly along the proposed routes, establishing multi-state, community-based 'watch teams' to monitor pipeline activities and continue holding developers accountable. It is crucial that at this moment, they come together across North Carolina and use their collective power to protect land, water, sacred sites, and community health.

The Sierra Club, America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters, also participates in this initiative. In addition to protecting everyone's right to be outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action.

The NC Pipeline Watch initiative, with the support of various organizations and volunteers, aims to monitor the construction of the SSEP pipeline to ensure compliance with environmental regulations. Active community participation, through observation and reporting of potential violations, is essential to protect North Carolina's natural resources.

The monitoring focuses on identifying potential problems, such as spills and pollution, and reporting them to the appropriate authorities. The initiative seeks to replicate the success of previous programs, creating public pressure and promoting stricter enforcement of environmental laws. Collaboration between organizations, volunteers, and the community is essential to achieve this goal, ensuring that pipeline construction is carried out responsibly and sustainably.