Mountain Valley Pipeline seeks new judges to clear regulatory hurdles
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
Mountain Valley Pipeline is seeking a new panel of judges to hear the next proceedings in its legal battle with environmentalists, according to The Washington Post.
Last month the company filed a motion requesting the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to assign a new panel at random, The Roanoke Times reported.
The three-judge panel the company wishes to replace has presided over 12 challenges of government approvals for the Mountain Valley Pipeline and vacated or stayed all but two of the permits.
Legal battles have delayed completion by almost 4 years and doubled its cost, which is now estimated to be $6.6 billion.
Learn more: The Washington Post > Mountain Valley Pipeline seeks new panel for challenges
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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.