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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFederal court throws out permit for Atlantic Coast Pipeline to cross Appalachian Trail
The Atlantic Coast Pipeline faces an escalating legal battle for its existence after a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday blocked a critical crossing of the Appalachian Trail through the Blue Ridge Mountains near Wintergreen Resort.
The Southern Environmental Law Center, based in Charlottesville, asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to revoke the projects certificate of public convenience and necessity. The move came after the 4th Circuit vacated a permit that the U.S. Forest Service issued to allow construction of the pipeline beneath the Appalachian National Scenic Trail between Augusta and Nelson counties.
Without the permit, Dominion Energy and its partners would have to seek the explicit congressional approval they tried to avoid by rerouting the pipeline in 2015 to cross the trail and the adjacent Blue Ridge Parkway on land controlled by the Forest Service in the George Washington National Forest. Originally, it would have crossed the national trail and scenic parkway about 8 miles north near Afton.
They have bet their whole project on that crossing point and now thats off the table, Buppert (SE Law Center Senior Attorney) said.
On the critical issue of crossing the Appalachian Trail, the panel concluded that the Forest Service does not have the power to administer the scenic trail, even though it manages portions of it passing through national forest lands. Rather, the trail is administered by the National Park Service, under the Department of Interior, which cannot permit natural gas pipelines across it under the Minerals Leasing Act.
https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/federal-court-throws-out-permit-for-atlantic-coast-pipeline-to/article_9f94d373-6a35-5530-8141-1c885b05b096.html
hueymahl
(2,496 posts)Victor_c3
(3,557 posts)The Appalachian trail goes from Georgia to Maine. If you cant cross it, its a hell of a detour around it.
DeminPennswoods
(15,286 posts)via covered foot bridge. I'd guess it's possible the pipeline could be routed near there.
underpants
(182,800 posts)That's a long stretch.
Victor_c3
(3,557 posts)Im thinking about hiking it this spring. Im 38, retired, and I found a group that takes a bunch of broken veterans like myself on the trip. Im still waiting to hear if they accepted me to their program. If not, I might just do it anyways...
DeminPennswoods
(15,286 posts)pointing out, there's at least 1 spot where the AT is above ground. The state had to cut through it to build the turnpike.
N_E_1 for Tennis
(9,722 posts)Its time to stop pouring money into pipeline projects for fossil fuel. Better use of the money would be changing the infrastructure to support renewables. We dont have long to change ours ways. Ive had people point out the hardships that a more drastic and quicker switch to renewable energy would have on us. I counter the hardships of the pathway to extinction probably would be much worse.
Nitram
(22,800 posts)Opposition to the pipeline has been strong, with different groups attacking the project from different angles. The two biggest objections have been that 1) the pipeline goes straight up and down extremely steep mountain slopes which cannot be stabilized once a 120-foot-wide swath of trees have been cut down, and 2) the pipeline crosses hundreds of streams with no requirement that erosion and sediment control plans be submitted for each one. But these arguments, while correct, can be dismissed by the Commonwealth in the case of utility projects. The soil and water conservation district I work for has submitted language for a change in the law governing large utility projects that cross more than one jurisdiction, but it would not be applicable in time to affect this project.
underpants
(182,800 posts)Afton is Afton Mountain. A steep climb even in a car (Interstate 64) which is really treacherous in the snow and the fog - oh the fog. I've gone over it unable to see 3 stripes in front of me in the road.
1903 feet straight up
Nitram
(22,800 posts)The mountain would look beautiful with an enormous 120-toot-wide stripe of denuded land coming straight down its face.