2023-05-19 16:25:30 ET
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management on Thursday approved right-of-way allowing the Mountain Valley Pipeline to pass through the Jefferson National Forest straddling Virginia and West Virginia, after the U.S. Forest Service signed off earlier this week .
The right-of-way gives MVP's developers led by Equitrans Midstream ( NYSE: ETRN ) authorization to construct and operate a 42-inch underground pipeline that would cross the forest along a proposed 3.5-mile corridor.
The pipeline still faces a number of legal hurdles before it can be completed, including a decision on a Section 404 water permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals previously has vacated right-of-way authorizations for the same section of the pipeline.
The $6.2B pipeline is more than 90% constructed, according to the consortium led by Equitrans Midstream ( ETRN ), with partners NextEra Energy ( NEE ), Consolidated Edison ( ED ), AltaGas ( OTCPK:ATGFF ) and RGC Resources ( RGCO ).
The Bureau of Land Management also issued a record of decision approving an amendment to the right-of-way for the SunZia Southwest Transmission Project, which will transport 4,500 MW of renewable energy generated in New Mexico to markets in Arizona and California.
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Mountain Valley Pipeline wins right-of-way through forest in second win this week