Manchin Fumes as Federal Court Halts Mountain Valley Pipeline Construction

[diva77]

One climate advocate applauded the court for giving communities "a measure of reprieve" by stopping construction of the pipeline in Jefferson National Forest.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/court-halts-mountain-valley-pipeline

A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on Monday temporarily blocked the construction of a section of the Mountain Valley Pipeline that runs through Jefferson National Forest, pending a conservation group's petition to review the federal government's authorization of the fossil fuel infrastructure development.

"Time and time again, Mountain Valley has tried to force its dangerous pipeline through the Jefferson National Forest, devastating communities in its wake and racking up violations," Ben Tettlebaum, director and senior staff attorney at The Wilderness Society, said in a statement. "We're grateful that the court has given those communities a measure of reprieve by hitting the brakes on construction across our public lands, sparing them from further irreversible damage while this important case proceeds."

Work on unfinished portions of the 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) was fast-tracked last month via the debt ceiling agreement that President Joe Biden, shunning his options for unilateral action, forged with House Republicans who took the global economy hostage.

SNIP

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Sure hope this leads to a permanent halt to the project.

[orthoclad]

1. Thanks for the good news

Let's hope Manchin loses this one.

[diva77]

2. Agree 100%

[orthoclad]

4. The MVP is a disaster waiting to happen.

By far most public comments to the US Forest Service drastically opposed the MVP. The USFS had to write exceptions to their best practices, policies, and regulations in order to allow this travesty to proceed. Landowners, hikers, biologists, local governments, and conservationists bitterly oppose this thing.

Public comments can be read here:
https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/ReadingRoom?List-size=25&project=50036&List-page=1

[diva77]

6. Thanks for posting link to public comments. I found out about the battle to prevent MVP from

the Indigenous Environmental Network https://www.ienearth.org

[bullimiami]

3. ROFL!!!!!!!

[2naSalit]

5. IMO...

I think Biden knew it would be contested and likely halted at the very least, which is why he conceded to it when everyone was all fired up about it.

Not that it's not a serious issue but I think Biden saw this coming and it may have made it easier to deal with Manchin in the moment. I don;t think in the agreement between them there was any mention of Biden defending the pipeline if contested in court.

Let the bastard fume.

[diva77]

7. interesting take on this situation -- I hope you're right

[2naSalit]

8. One thing I have learned...

About Joe Biden, the master negotiator, is that he does not concede anything that doesn't have a work around/alternative approach.

I suspect that he operates in that way with people like Manchin.

[tavernier]

9. That comes with years of experience...

Which is one reason the Republicans are pushing to take him out due to his “age”

[2naSalit]

10. Yup.

He is exactly who we need to pull us out of this shithole, drain circling mess.

[phylny]

11. From the signs that I see on properties

Last edited Wed Jul 12, 2023, 10:07 AM - Edit history (1)

most Virginians do not want this pipeline.