Lawsuit targets FERC approval of Mountain Valley extension

By Niina H. Farah | 04/24/2024 07:09 AM EDT

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has given the developer until 2026 to complete the revamped natural gas project.

FERC headquarters.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission headquarters in Washington. Francis Chung/E&E News

Conservation groups are heading to court to challenge federal energy regulators’ approval of a delayed construction deadline for the redesigned Southgate extension of the Mountain Valley pipeline.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave the green light last December for the pipeline developer to build the pared-down natural gas project through the middle of 2026.

Also last December, the Southgate developer announced that it would be shortening the planned 75-mile pipeline into North Carolina to just 31 miles.

Advertisement

The conservation groups, led by Appalachian Voices, said in their new lawsuit filed late Monday that the developer had not made clear what water crossings might be affected by the project, with a pipe they said is nearly 50 percent larger in diameter than the original design.

GET FULL ACCESS