Making Progress Against Fracked-Gas Pipelines

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a stop work order for the entire Mountain Valley Pipeline on Oct. 15, thanks to a legal challenge filed by the Sierra Club on behalf of us and six other organizations. This could not have happened soon enough, as monitors continue to see excessive sediment flowing into waterways whenever it rains.

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline is also bogged down by legal trouble. With numerous challenges pending, developers still cannot cross the Appalachian Trail or Blue Ridge Parkway. We are working with partners to urge Congress to prevent Atlantic Coast Pipeline developers from forcing through any legislation that would allow the pipeline to cross the AT.

In November, we joined North Carolinians at two different events to speak out against two fracked-gas projects, including the 73-mile MVP Southgate extension. After hearing public concern, FERC also announced a delay to the MVP Southgate approval process. The agency’s final Environmental Impact Statement was due in December, but now is scheduled for Feb. 14. This pushes a potential FERC certificate — a key approval for any inter-state pipeline — for MVP Southgate back to as late as May 2020. Read more here.