The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) received a new water quality permit from Virginia regulators last week, a development that could prove critical in the embattled Appalachian natural gas conduit’s quest to overcome regulatory setbacks and finish construction.

MVP route

Virginia’s State Water Control Board, on the recommendation of staff from the state Department of Environmental Quality, on Tuesday voted 3-2 to issue a Virginia Water Protection permit to MVP. The permit is issued through authority established under Section 401 of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA).

The Virginia-issued permit marks a major stepping stone toward fulfilling a revamped permitting and construction plan laid out by the developers in early 2021 as an alternative to previous waterbody crossing authorization...