Mountain Valley Pipeline Allowed To Proceed

Today, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals granted motions to dismiss from the Federal Government and a pipeline company in two cases involving the Mountain Valley Pipeline. These cases pre-date passage of Section 324 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, a rider to the debt ceiling deal that greenlit the destructive project, mandated its completion earlier this month, and attempted to strip courts of jurisdiction to challenge pipeline approvals. 

“Today, communities in Appalachia suffer the consequences of Congress greenlighting the Mountain Valley Pipeline, flouting long-standing environmental laws,” said Jamie Williams, President of The Wilderness Society, in response to the ruling. “We are deeply saddened and concerned that Mountain Valley has been granted the ability to sidestep critical conservation protections and silence the voices of community members in harm’s way. This pipeline will scar the integrity of Jefferson National Forest, compromise our water, increase harmful sedimentation, and expose communities in its path to the potential for explosive gas leaks and other harmful impacts.”

Media Contact: 
Jen Parravani, The Wilderness Society
jparravani@tws.org, 202-631-1931