On September 25, 2020, the U.S. Army Corps reinstated stream crossing authorizations for the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), allowing construction to continue in the Norfolk district.
The September 25 permitting update said the Army Corps permits' verifications came from the Huntington District, Pittsburgh District, and the Norfolk District. The three districts re-verified permits vacated nearly two years ago by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit court.
The pipeline project also received the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Biological Opinion on September 4, 2020. The pipeline still needs the federal agency's final impact statement, which is not expected until the end of the year.
Lead project developer, Equitrans Midstream Corporation, has remained adamant that the pipeline will be completed in early 2021. The 2 Bcf/d project will run 301 miles from Wetzel County, West Virginia, to Pittsylvania County, Virginia. MVP informed FERC that the pipeline is 92% complete, with 256 miles of pipe in the ground and 155 miles of final restoration.
AEGIS View: While the re-issuance of these permits is an important step toward completion, heavy opposition from environmental groups may impede the re-issuance of outstanding permits.