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NEPA Number: DOI-BLM-Eastern States-0020-2016-0016-EIS
Project Name: Proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline ROW

Project Information

NEPA Number

DOI-BLM-Eastern States-0020-2016-0016-EIS
Project Name

Proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline ROW
Project Type

EIS
NEPA Status

Completed - Closed
Lead Office

Southeastern States District Office
Last Updated

Project Description

The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project, as described in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on September 16, 2016, proposes to cross 3.4 miles of the Jefferson National Forest, in Monroe County, West Virginia and Giles and Montgomery counties in Virginia. In addition to crossing the Jefferson National Forest, the project proposes to cross the Appalachian National Scenic Trail on lands administered by the Forest Service. No new roads are being proposed on the Forest as MVP is proposing to use the right-of-way corridor during construction.  No other pipeline related facilities such as surge and storage tanks, compressor stations, laterals, etc. are being proposed on the Forest.The FERC is responsible for authorizing the construction and operation of interstate natural gas pipelines and is the Lead Agency for preparation of the environmental analysis. The proposed MVP project crosses federal lands administered by the Forest Service as well as the Army Corps of Engineers.  Section 28 of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended (30 U.S.C. 185) grants the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) the authority to issue right-of-way grants across federal lands when two or more federal agencies are involved.  The BLM will decide whether to issue a right-of-way grant across the federal lands involved. BLM will not issue the right-of-way grant until the heads of both agencies administering the lands involved have concurred. The Forest Service will decide if the 2004 Revised Land and Resource Management Plan for the Jefferson National Forest (Forest Plan) will need to be amended to if a right-of-way grant is approved.Both the Forest Service and the BLM are Cooperating Agencies with the FERC on the development of the environmental analysis. As a Cooperating Agency, the role of the Forest Service is to identify issues and concerns that need to be addressed in the environmental analysis and to assist in preparing and reviewing environmental analysis for National Forest issues.

What's New

Mountain Valley Pipeline

Applicant/Proponent
Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC
625 Liberty Ave. Suite 1700
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Introduction

In October 2015, Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC proposed the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC is the lead federal agency for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance on this project, with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and USDA Forest Service (FS), among others, participating as cooperating agencies.

The project consists of building a 305-mile-long, 42-inch-diameter, underground natural gas pipeline that would transport about 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from production areas in southern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia to Pittsylvania County, Virginia, for distribution along the East Coast. The proposed route crosses approximately 3.6 miles of the Jefferson National Forest in Monroe County, West Virginia, and Giles and Montgomery Counties in Virginia. The route also crosses a section of the Appalachian Trail administered by the FS, the Weston and Gauley Bridge Turnpike Trail administered by the USACE, and the Blue Ridge Parkway managed by the National Park Service (NPS).

Background

Under the Natural Gas Act, the FERC is the lead Federal agency for issuing a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for natural gas pipeline construction and for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Mineral Leasing Act (MLA) provides Federal agencies with the authority to grant the use of federal lands in the construction of a natural gas pipeline.

There are no BLM-administered lands within the project area. However, under the MLA, the Secretary of the Interior or appropriate agency head (in this case the BLM) is responsible for granting right-of-way (ROW) over lands administered by two or more other federal agencies. Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC requested a ROW to cross the FS- and USACE-administered lands. (The NPS is conducting its own analysis and will issue a separate ROW for the Blue Ridge Parkway portion of the project.)

Following significant input from cooperating agencies and the public, FERC issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on June 23, 2017. The BLM, FS, and USACE adopted the Final EIS in considering the project, which is available on the FERC web site at https://www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/eis/2017/06-23-17-FEIS.asp. On October 13, 2017, FERC issued a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, which allows the Mountain Valley Pipeline to be constructed and grants eminent domain authority to Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC.

On December 1, 2017, the USDA Forest Service released its final Record of Decision amending the Jefferson National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan to accommodate the MVP project. For more information about the FS decision process visit the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests web site at https://www.fs.usda.gov/gwj.

The BLM could grant the ROW only after various required inputs were received from cooperating agencies, including National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 consultation, Endangered Species Act Section 7 consultation, and letters of concurrence from the FS and USACE. In addition, the BLM had to approve Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC’s submitted Plan of Development.

After receiving and reviewing all required inputs, the BLM issued its Record of Decision approving the Right-of-Way on December 20, 2017, and granted the ROW on December 28, 2017. The BLM must next issue a Notice-to-Proceed (NTP) before any construction or ground-disturbing activities can begin. Before an NTP can be issued, Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC must meet all terms and conditions of the ROW grant.

Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC is a joint venture of EQT Midstream Partners, LP; NextEra US Gas Assets, LLC; Con Edison Gas Midstream, LLC; WGL Midstream, Inc.; Vega Midstream MVP, LLC; and RGC Midstream, LLC.

Public Involvement

The applicant held a total of 16 Open Houses to share information about this project, followed by six public meetings sponsored by FERC for the purpose of taking public comments. Following publication of the Final EIS, the BLM held a 30-day supplemental public comment period from June 30, 2017, through July 31, 2017, to receive comments specific to the impacts of the proposed project on Federal lands. Approximately 700 comments were received from the public. The Forest Service also held a separate 45-day public objection period on the Jefferson National Forest Resource Management Plan Amendment.

For more information about this project including Documents, Contact Information, Maps, Frequently Asked Questions, and more please see the tabs on the left of the window screen.
Contact Information
For questions on the Mountain Valley Pipeline Project please refer to BLM Project Manager:

Vicki Craft
Ph: (601)919-4655

--or--

Bureau of Land Management
Southeastern States District Office
273 Market Street
Flowood, MS 39232
ATTN: Victoria Craft

Draft EIS Publication

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Final EIS Publication

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12/19/2017

Project Location

City	State/Territory	Zip Code	County(ies)
Flowood	Mississippi	39232

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Project Office Information

Lead Office

Southeastern States District Office
Offices

Southeastern States DO
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