Bill to benefit Mountain Valley Pipeline hits turbulence in Congress

Laurence Hammack 11 hrs ago

Discord over the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which has taken a long and twisting path through local meeting halls, state and federal regulatory agencies and courtrooms too many to count, is now before Congress.

The latest dispute accelerated this week, when U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin unveiled legislation that would streamline a permitting process for energy projects in general — and in particular Mountain Valley, a natural gas pipeline that has been mired in controversy since it was first proposed in 1996.

Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, where the 303-mile pipeline begins a route that takes it through Southwest Virginia, says reform is needed to maintain the country’s energy independence and affordability.

In describing his bill during a 24-minute speech Tuesday on the Senate floor, posted to his website, Manchin did not mention Mountain Valley.

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By Laurence Hammack
Laurence Hammack covers environmental issues, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline, and business and enterprise stories. He has been a reporter for The Roanoke Times for more than three decades.
Laurence.Hammack@roanoke.com