On Friday, July 27, a unanimous three-judge panel ruled in the United States Court of Appeal for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Virginia. They said:
“MVP’s proposed project would be the largest pipeline of its kind to cross the Jefferson National Forest. American citizens understandably place their trust in the Forest Service to protect and preserve this country’s forests, and they deserve more than silent acquiescence to a pipeline company’s justification for upending large swaths of national forestlands. Citizens also trust in the Bureau of Land Management to prevent undue degradation to public lands by following the dictates of the MLA <Mineral Leasing Act>.
As a result, for the reasons set forth herein, we grant the petition for review of the Forest Service Rule of Decision and vacate that decision. We also grant the petition for review of the BLM’s Rule of Decision and vacate that decision. We remand to the respective agencies for proceedings consistent with this opinion.”
-See Preserve Craig for more information
