Supreme Court allows Atlantic Coast Pipeline to cross under Appalachian Trail
Friday, June 19, 2020
The United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, allowing the pipeline project to cross underneath the Appalachian Trail, according to North American Oil & Gas Pipelines.
The $5billion, 600-mile pipeline is being developed by Dominion and Duke Energy. It will help supply natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica shale basins of West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio to Virginia and North Carolina.
A statement from Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC described the ruling as “a major victory” for the project, paving the way for the project to be completed.
Learn more: North American Oil & Gas Pipelines > Atlantic Coast pipeline Wins Major Supreme Court Victory
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.