Federal court upholds FERC’s approval of Mountain Valley gas line

Feb. 21, 2019
The US Appeals Court for the District of Columbia upheld the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of the proposed Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline by denying several environmental groups’ petition for review of the decision.

The US Appeals Court for the District of Columbia upheld the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of the proposed Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline by denying several environmental groups’ petition for review of the decision.

“Notwithstanding petitioners’ argument to the contrary, FERC’s conclusion that there is a market need for the project was reasonable and supported by substantial evidence, in the form of long-term precedent agreements for 100% of the project’s capacity,” the court said in its Feb. 20 ruling.

An American Petroleum Institute official approved of the federal appeals court’s action. “We’re pleased that the DC Circuit Court reaffirmed FERC’s role in the pipeline permitting process, making it clear that their scope of review is still correct,” said Robin Rorick, API’s vice-president of midstream and industry operations.

FERC conducted a thorough environmental impact study that looked at groundwater to surrounding communities’ cultural attachments, Rorick noted. “The court’s decision underscored that no further assessments are needed to ensure a safe path forward for the project’s completion,” he said.

Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].