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Re-issuance of Right-of-Way Permit for Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC across Blue Ridge Parkway property, MP 135.9

Blue Ridge Parkway » Re-issuance of Right-of-Way Permit for Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC across Blue Ridge Parkway property, MP 135.9 » Document List

The Blue Ridge Parkway (BLRI or Parkway), a unit of the National Park System, is reviewing a Right-of-Way (ROW) Permit for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC, (MVP) project, a natural gas pipeline that spans approximately 303 miles from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia. As an interstate pipeline it is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The Parkway has the authority to permit pipeline crossings.

The MVP is a 42-inch underground high-pressure interstate natural gas pipeline which crosses BLRI near Milepost 135.9 in the vicinity of US Highway 221 and Clover Hill/Calloway Road in Franklin and Roanoke Counties, Virginia. Construction of the pipeline across BLRI was completed in 2019 via open trench combined with conventional bore under the Parkway road surface. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) compliance was completed on previous permits issued in December 2017 for the construction of the pipeline.

The pipeline route enters National Park Service (NPS) land through a forest (windbreak) clearing, crossing an agricultural field until it intersects the BLRI motor-road. The route crosses underneath the BLRI motor-road within the open field and continues southeast toward BLRI's eastern boundary. Near the boundary it passes through approximately 580 feet of forested NPS land that is now cleared along the previously permitted 50-foot pipeline corridor as a result of construction and exits NPS property. The completed pipeline is approximately 2,237 feet long within BLRI's boundary. The current action under consideration by the NPS is whether to reissue a ROW permit for the corridor 25 feet on either side of the pipeline centerline.

This proposed ROW permit would allow operations and maintenance (O&M) activities to occur within the ROW, and it would supersede the previously issued ROW permit which was vacated at the request of the applicant. The ROW permit would be issued for the standard ten (10) year term. Since the pipeline is already constructed, and since the NPS considered impacts to the Parkway due to construction in the issuance of the previous permit, the NPS is not reconsidering pipeline construction impacts as part of this action. The environmental screening form that the NPS used to evaluate O&M activities as a part of the proposed issuance of this ROW is included for review, along with the draft categorical exclusion (CE) prepared to satisfy compliance with NEPA. The documents summarize the O&M activities expected under the ROW permit along with proposed mitigation that the NPS would apply.

Blue Ridge Parkway management is interested in hearing from the public regarding potential impacts of operations and maintenance in the proposed ROW permit.

Copies of the CE and Environmental Screening Form may be accessed and downloaded by clicking on the "Document List" link at the left side of this page. Comments may be added by clicking on the "Open for Comment" at the left side of the page.

Contact Information

Alexa Viets, Chief of Resource Management & Interpretation, 828-348-3402