Supreme Court Grants Emergency Request to Resume Construction of Controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted an emergency request from Mountain Valley Pipeline, allowing construction of the controversial 303.5 mile natural gas pipeline to resume. The pipeline, which will transport natural gas from West Virginia to Virginia, had been delayed due to legal challenges from environmental groups.

The Supreme 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 the pipeline. The court blocked decisions by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Richmond, Virginia, that prevented the project from moving forward.

The project has been entangled in numerous legal challenges to federal approvals for its construction and operation brought by environmental groups. However, Congress included language in the recently enacted Fiscal Responsibility Act backed by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., that stripped courts of authority to review approval of the pipeline.

The Mountain Valley Pipeline project is expected to create thousands of jobs and provide an economic boost to the region. The pipeline is expected to be completed by the end of 2021. The Supreme Court’s decision to lift the lower court orders and allow construction to resume is a major victory for the project.