The highly controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline project has been granted a reprieve by the U.S. Supreme Court, allowing the 303-mile pipeline that will transport natural gas from West Virginia to Virginia to resume construction.
On Thursday, the court’s brief order vacated stays issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in cases brought by environmental organizations opposed to its building and operation.
The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project has been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) since 2017, however it has faced numerous legal challenges from environmental groups since then due to concerns about its potential harms on endangered species and alleged violations of multiple environmental statutes.
Despite these efforts, only 3.5 miles of construction remain before completion – including a stretch through Jefferson National Forest and several stream crossings – which FERC gave permission for in late June this year after reviewing all authorizations made by the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service.
With workers and equipment now being deployed with an aim towards finishing construction at the end of 2023, it looks like MVP will soon become a reality.
This decision will likely be met with strong criticism from environmentalists who are concerned that MVP’s construction could have serious implications for local wildlife habitats and ecosystems within Jefferson National Forest.
Pipeline activities carry risks such as water pollution caused by soil erosion or accidental release of hazardous chemicals into nearby streams or rivers during excavation work.
Additionally, some local communities fear disruption to their way of life due to increased traffic along roads used throughout construction as well as long term air quality issues due to emissions generated while operating pipelines transporting natural gas across states over hundreds of miles away from their source material located underground in West Virginia coalmines.
