It looks like Joe Biden is finally tired of Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) being a thorn in his side.
The Biden administration made a huge concession that should make Manchin happy.
The pipeline that he was promised for West Virginia appears to finally have been approved.
It’s About Time
The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) should never have been blocked in the first place.
The project was at 94 percent completion waiting on the final permits that would be for just a few more miles of pipeline along the border of West Virginia.
Of course, the gas was coming from West Virginia, so everything has been hold while Biden plays his climate games.
The Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service finally approved the pipeline, giving MVP the green light to go ahead (although there are still some state and federal permits to be obtained).
This is a huge project that will bring in an estimated $250 million a year for West Virginia, not to mention the additional construction and long-term jobs it will create.
Agriculture Under Secretary Homer Wilkes stated, “Under the proposed action, the Forest Service would amend the JNF Forest Plan as necessary to allow for the MVP to cross the JNF and concur in a decision by the [Bureau of Land Management] to grant a [right of way permit] and a [temporary use permit] under the [Mineral Leasing Act].”
There may, however, still be a few hoops to jump through because eco-warriors plan on fighting this.
Jessica Sims, a field coordinator for environmental group Appalachian Voice, stated, “The Forest Service’s preferred alternative to allow MVP to rip through the Jefferson National Forest grossly underestimates the lasting environmental harms from the project, ignores the overwhelming public opposition to sacrificing this treasured land and shirks the agency’s responsibility to steward forests.
“We maintain that the Mountain Valley Pipeline cannot be built through the Jefferson National Forest without lasting damage to sensitive forests, habitats and waters.
‘Amending a forest plan 11 times to accommodate a ruinous project on federal land is unacceptable.”
The question now is if Manchin becomes an ally or continue to block Biden with Republicans.
Source: Fox News