"Court Vacates Key Federal Permit For Atlantic Coast Pipeline"

"RICHMOND, Va. — A federal appellate court vacated a key permit granted to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, saying Tuesday that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided no specific limits for the allowable impact on threatened and endangered species.

The order’s immediate impact was in dispute. Lawyers for the environmental groups that sued over the permit say all work must stop, but the lead developer said construction can continue on the multistate natural gas pipeline.

Jen Kostyniuk, a spokeswoman for Dominion Energy, wrote in an email that the decision only impacts certain activities in certain areas along the route. The project “will move forward with construction as scheduled,” she wrote."

Sarah Rankin reports for the Associated Press May 16, 2018.