Report: Pipeline Review Underestimated Forest Fragmentation
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) – The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation along with several state agencies say an analysis by the Mountain Valley Pipeline on the project’s impact on intact forests underestimated the effects by more than 300 percent.
The Roanoke Times reports that in a July 21 filing, the department alerted the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to deficiencies in MVP’s approach to evaluating forest fragmentation caused by the pipeline and right-of way projects.
The department says the Virginia Forest Conservation Partnership’s forest fragmentation analysis of pipeline-related effects found that the project would impact more than 16,000 acres. MVP’s analysis of fragmentation anticipated impacts to nearly 4,000 acres.
The pipeline would transport natural gas at high pressure through several counties in West Virginia and Virginia. MVP needs FERC’s approval before construction can begin.
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