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Senator Joe Manchin had reason to celebrate Thursday after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in favor of the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
The $6.6 billion pipeline has faced myriad legal challenges, with environmental concerns chief among them. Once complete, the pipeline will transport natural gas more than 300 miles through West Virginia and Virginia to meet ongoing energy demands. Recent litigation prompted the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to issue two stays against the project, but the Supreme Court vacated the stays in its Thursday ruling.
Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, has long sought legislation to complete the pipeline.
"The Supreme Court has spoken and this decision to let construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline move forward again is the correct one," Manchin's office said in a statement on Thursday. "I am relieved that the highest court in the land has upheld the law Congress passed and the President signed."
Newsweek reached out to Manchin's office by email for comment.
Manchin attempted to add the $6.6 billion pipeline to a federal spending bill last fall but withdrew the legislation amid concerns from Democrat colleagues and environmentalists. Critics argued that it was approved illegally during President Donald Trump's administration. At the time, approvals for the pipeline's construction were overturned, and the project was halted until President Joe Biden's administration decided otherwise.
Pipeline construction resumed this year after Republicans negotiated a debt ceiling bill with the White House in May. The bill included a provision that allowed for construction of the pipeline. The provision also included language that restricted courts from challenging the construction as they have in the past.
The Fourth Circuit court issued a stay on July 10, halting the pipeline's construction because of concerns regarding a 3-mile portion through the Jefferson National Forest. Environmentalists argued that the pipeline's construction would lead to erosion, according to the Associated Press. The same court issued another stay the next day regarding a separate lawsuit alleging that the pipeline violated the Endangered Species Act.
Following the stays, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the case on the grounds that the appeals court didn't have jurisdiction. Now, pipeline construction can continue after the Supreme Court vacated both stays.
The ruling came as Manchin faces mounting pressure regarding his election plans. Manchin's seat, which he has held since 2010, is up for election next year and he has not yet announced if he plans to run for reelection. West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, a Republican and former Democrat, announced his bid for Manchin's seat in April and is backed by the GOP.
Manchin was asked this month if he was considering a presidential run in 2024 during a No Labels forum at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire and didn't reject the idea.
He told CNN's Kaitlan Collins on July 17 that he hasn't made a decision regarding his campaign plans for 2024 and doesn't plan to until the end of the year.
About the writer
Anna Skinner is a Newsweek senior reporter based in Indianapolis. Her focus is reporting on the climate, environment and weather ... Read more