West Virginia approved a key permit for a 304-mile natural gas pipeline project on Friday.
The conditions the WVDEP listed include minimizing in-stream operation of equipment, storage and refueling areas not being located within any surface water body, etc.
The Mountain Valley Pipeline Project is a natural gas pipeline—approximately 304 miles in length and 42 inches in diameter—to supply local distribution companies and industrial users, and power generation facilities in the mid-Atlantic, southeastern, and Appalachian regions. The pipeline traverses 11 counties in West Virginia and 6 counties in Virginia.
The project is being constructed and is owned by Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC, which is a joint venture of several companies including EQM Midstream Partners, LP, and Con Edison Transmission Inc.
The pipeline still has several hurdles to clear ahead. It needs dredge-and-fill permits in West Virginia from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Some environmental advocacy groups said the decision by the WVDEP is disappointing and urged the Biden administration to kill the project.