Earlier this week The New York Times reported a provision has been included in the debt limit agreement that orders federal agencies to issue permits for the Mountain Valley Pipeline and insulates the project from judicial review.

Republicans have reached a deal with President Biden to raise the debt ceiling and expedite the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. It would order federal agencies to approve any outstanding permits for the pipeline within 21 days and exempt those permits from judicial review.

Additionally, if anyone decided to challenge the project, the legislation transfers jurisdiction from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, in Richmond, where environmentalists have won some court victories, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Learn more: The New York Times > Debt Deal Includes a Green Light for a Contentious Pipeline