FERC Orders Construction to Stop on Entire Route of Atlantic Coast Pipeline

WASHINGTON, DC— Today the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ordered all construction halted on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline following a ruling from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals throwing out developers’ National Park Service permit.

“FERC made the right decision to stop construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and protect public lands, rivers and streams, and private property from unnecessary harm,” said Southern Environmental Law Center attorney Greg Buppert. “With so many unknowns remaining about this project, now is the right time for the Commission to grant rehearing and get to the bottom of Dominion’s over-blown and unsupported claims of public benefit.” SELC successfully argued two challenges to permits for the pipeline, which triggered the stop work order from FERC.

Since this risky project was proposed in 2014, studies have revealed that natural gas demands in our region are nowhere near those claimed by Dominion and Duke and submitted to FERC as justification for the project. It is now also clear that these utilities plan to put the cost of the pipeline on to their utility customers for decades while shareholders pocket the guaranteed 14-15% rate of return pipeline construction will yield. 

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For more than 30 years, the Southern Environmental Law Center has used the power of the law to champion the environment of the Southeast. With more than 80 attorneys and nine offices across the region, SELC is widely recognized as the Southeast’s foremost environmental organization and regional leader. SELC works on a full range of environmental issues to protect our natural resources and the health and well-being of all the people in our region. www.SouthernEnvironment.org