Six ABRA member organizations have requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issue a stop work order for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) because of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals’ issuance on November 7 of a stay of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of the project’s Nationwide Permit 12 relating to 156 waterbody crossings in West Virginia. Appalachian Mountain Advocates, representing the plaintiffs (Appalachian Voices, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Sierra Club, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, and Wild Virginia), stated in its November 9 letter to FERC:
Because that mandatory federal authorization is now lacking, FERC must not allow pipeline construction to continue, not only in waters of the United States within the Corps’ Huntington District but anywhere along the pipeline route. For that reason, the undersigned respectfully request that the Commission issue a Stop Work Order to Atlantic as soon as possible, but no later than November 14, 2018. That date is key because the undersigned have reason to believe that Atlantic intends to resume tree-felling activities along the pipeline route when the window for such activity reopens on November 15, 2018.
As of 5 pm, November 14, FERC had not responded to the plaintiffs’ request.