MVP Likely Facing More Delays as Fourth Circuit Vacates West Virginia Permit

The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) will spend a while longer on its regulatory treadmill after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit vacated a key permit issued by West Virginia regulators.

The latest ruling, handed down by the Fourth Circuit on April 3, marks yet another setback for the 303-mile, 2 million Dth/d Appalachia-to-Southeast natural gas conduit, which first received FERC sign-off in 2017.

The court sided with a coalition of environmental groups challenging the permit issued to MVP by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) under Section 401 of the federal Clean Water Act.

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Unlike a similar permit issued...