Mountain Valley pipeline to move forward despite court order
Monday, October 8, 2018
Despite a recent decision by the Fourth Circuit of Appeals to vacate a federal permit for the Mountain Valley pipeline, EQT said it still expects to finish the $4.6 billion project in the fourth quarter, according to Nasdaq.
The court vacated the Clean Water Act Section 404 stream and wetland crossing permit, called the Nationwide 12 permit, issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which allowed the company to cross rivers in West Virginia.
In an email, EQT said it was “evaluating options to understand its ability to continue with construction activities that do not include stream and wetland crossings along this portion of the route.”
Learn more: Nasdaq > EQT does not expect US court order to hold up Mountain Valley natgas pipe
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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.