The debt ceiling deal that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) struck with the White House includes the expedited completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a surprise development in the protracted negotiations that is sure to upset dozens of Democrats who oppose new fossil fuel infrastructure.
The provision is a major achievement for the West Virginia congressional delegation, including Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV). Members of the delegation have introduced multiple bills within the last year ordering completion of the highly litigated natural gas pipeline.
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MVP is a 303-mile natural gas pipeline project transiting West Virginia that is largely built, but its construction and operation have been repeatedly held up in court after being challenged by local interest groups and environmental organizations.
Manchin and the rest of the West Virginia delegation has pushed for its completion to improve national energy security.
Some Republican members had expressed objections previously to carving out special treatment for individual infrastructure projects such as MVP, but the new debt ceiling deal includes language declaring timely completion of the construction and operation of the pipeline to be in the national interest.
“The Mountain Valley Pipeline will serve demonstrated natural gas demand in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast regions, will increase the reliability of natural gas supplies and the availability of natural gas at reason able prices,” the bill text said.
The deal directs the Army to authorize completion of the pipeline over the waters of the United States and limits litigation challenging the pipeline.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), the top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, recently introduced a bill to reform and speed up the permitting of energy infrastructure projects that includes completion of the pipeline.
Manchin and Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV) also have signed on to bills that would do the same.
“Despite delay after delay, we continued to fight to get this critical natural gas pipeline up and running, and its inclusion in this deal is a significant victory for the future of West Virginia,” Capito said in a statement Sunday.
The debt ceiling deal has already sparked the furor of some Democrats upset with the White House for agreeing to a deal with Republicans that they felt gives up too much.
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MVP’s completion is a likely contributor to that frustration. Liberal members have fought against legislation to complete the pipeline.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and other members, as well as environmental groups typically aligned with the administration also sharply criticized the Department of Energy for recently endorsing completion of the pipeline.
