Gaslight: The Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the Fight for America's Energy Future

by Jonathan Mingle

Imagine one day you receive a letter in the mail that informs you that a large energy company is planning to build a massive pipeline through your property. That they have the legal right to do so, whether you like it or not, because this project is in the "public interest"-because the pipeline will be carrying natural gas, the so-called "bridge fuel" that politicians have been peddling for decades as the path to a clean, green energy future. This was the gist of the letter that Dominion Energy sent to thousands of residents living along the path of its proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline in 2014, setting off an epic, six-year battle that eventually led all the way to the Supreme Court.

At stake was not only the future of the communities that lay in the pipeline's path but the future of American energy. Would the public be swayed by the industry's decades-long public relations campaign to frame natural gas-a fossil fuel and itself a potent greenhouse gas-as a "solution" to climate change? Or would we recognize it as a methane bomb, capable of not only imperiling local property and upending people's lives, but of pushing the planet further down the road towards climate chaos? Gaslight is for anyone who wants to understand the dark, overlooked story of America's "favorite fossil fuel," and the immense future stakes of the energy choices we face today.

Genres: Nonfiction, Environment, Politics

352 pages, Hardcover

First published May 9, 2024

About the author

Jonathan Mingle is the author of Fire and Ice: Soot, Solidarity and Survival on the Roof of the World. His writing on the environment, climate and development has appeared in The New York Times, Slate, The Boston Globe, and other publications. He is a former Middlebury Fellow in Environmental Journalism, a recipient of the American Alpine Club's Zach Martin Breaking Barriers Award, and a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley's Energy and Resources Group. He lives in Vermont.

Reviews

[Charlie Burdett · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s nice to read about a group of people, many of whom are conservative, get a win against a big investor owned utility. Not as nice to be reminded that natural gas projects continue to be built despite a clear lack of demand for them. It’s amazing how apparent it can be that these projects are solely for financial gain. As seen in this book, they can be built without hundreds of environmental permits granted, built without real emissions considerations, built without consent of thousands of local residents, and built without clear demand from consumers. An example of this utility greed is the Mountain Valley Pipeline, approved by Congress after being denied all kinds of permits by the fourth circuit court of appeals and dying in the senate twice. Apparently, energy geniuses in congress think gas is a “bridge fuel” needed for the energy transition despite that term being created in 1988…I’m realizing that this book, while meant to inspire hope in people, may just be reminding everyone how screwed we are. Happy Friday.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book after listening to the author talk about it. The story is harrowing and disturbing - it's about the planning for a very large pipeline to transport natural gas from West Virginia and through Virginia. It's disturbing to realize the amount of thought that went into this project (almost none) and the reasons for it (greed - not need of gas) and the complicity of the federal government (FERC approves these projects with very little, if any examination of the pros and cons). But it's mainly the story of the very long term and focused resistance by the people whose lives would be upended by the pipeline and that is heartwarming and hopeful. Still, I was horrified to think how close this very ill-conceived project was to coming to fruition. This book was very readable -the characters were well-described and Mingle didn't get caught in the weeds enough to leave me behind.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan Mingle’s Gaslighting chronicles the defeat of Dominion’s $8-billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline as both thriller and civics lesson. From methane seeps in colonial West Virginia to court showdowns in Richmond, the book exposes compromised regulatory oversight, investor haste, and the rare heroics of agencies and neighbors who refused to fold. Mingle’s portraits of ranchers, retirees, and Indigenous families make the victory feel intimate and improbable.

As an energy professional—and a Keystone XL alum—I found it bracing proof that organized communities can still outlast Goliath. Facts prevailed; costs ballooned; backers fled.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s rare to find a true story of a grassroots movement that not only brought together a diverse coalition of neighbors to fight a fossil fuel pipeline but they actually WON!
Gaslight tells the compelling story of the individuals behind that fight and how they came together to defeat Dominion Energy in the mountains of Virginia.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t read much non fiction, but this one caught my eye. It was quite long with many dates and lots of information. I was interested because my brother and sister in law fought to keep it out of their backyard. It was quite a battle and time consuming for the people involved.

[Kellianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, well written. Great job on the community coming together.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic view on the power of grassroots movements and why one should never backdown from big industry.

[Samuel Harworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heavily one sided look at the building of a pipeline.

[Bob Beckert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes David really does slay Goliath.
Well done.

[Heather Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, well written, about the amazing local activists who fought against a billion-dollar power company that wanted to run a natural gas pipeline through our community and WON.