WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – The United States Supreme Court has cleared the way for completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline despite lawsuits against it.
The controversial project, which would carry natural gas from West Virginia to southern Virginia, became even more controversial due to how the final deal for it was struck.
“I’m elated about this,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) said. “It’s exciting to see that that last 5% of the pipeline will be built, the thousands of jobs that will come along with it.”
The high court threw out orders from the lower courts that had halted construction of the pipeline, which is facing legal challenges in part due to environmental concerns.
The White House approved the pipeline project as part of a deal with West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin to cut out normal environmental and judicial reviews.
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine says the pipeline approval process is broken.
“The process left much to be desired,” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA said). “Discussions about pipeline permitting reform are heating up.”
Kaine is also working on a bill to reform that process.
“In terms of public input, giving people an opportunity if their land was going to be taken to actually have their opinions really heard and considered by the federal energy regulatory commission,” Kaine added.