A citizen group says an environmental project manager for the government has been wrongly signing off on the construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported Saturday that Bold Alliance says the project manager at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission lacks the authority to approve construction. It says the commission also can’t delegate approval authority to Paul Friedman.
The group previously asked the commission to rehear notices to proceed signed by Friedman between January and February. The request was denied May 4. Bold Alliance lawyer Carolyn Elefant has since asked the court to rehear the case and issue a stay of construction. Mountain Valley Pipeline filed a motion to dismiss the request last week.
The newspaper reports a spokeswoman for the commission would not comment on the litigation.