The Army Corps of Engineers is facing a new legal challenge to its streamlined process for approving oil and gas pipeline construction across rivers, streams and wetlands.
Environmental groups claim in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in a federal court in Washington that the agency’s latest version of its Nationwide Permit 12 violates federal protections for endangered species and requirements to conduct environmental reviews of federally backed projects.
“The Army Corps is legally obligated to protect our wetlands and waterways from pollution and destruction,” said Daniel Estrin, general counsel and legal director for Waterkeeper Alliance, one of the groups involved in the lawsuit. “Instead, they’re using nationwide permits to streamline extremely destructive projects, such as giant oil and gas pipelines that stand to destroy natural habitats and devastate water quality across the country.”
“We’re filing suit because our waterways, communities and wildlife deserve protection, not a rubber stamp,” he added.
