USDA Forest Service rescinds emergency closure order; adds new orders for Mountain Valley Pipeline
USDA Forest Service rescinds emergency closure order; adds new orders for Mountain Valley Pipeline
By Caslee Sims, WDBJ
The USDA Forest Service has issued new updates regarding the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
As of October 1, the Forest Service rescinded an emergency closure order for the Mountain Valley Pipeline Project right-of-way (ROW) and access roads for construction activities on National Forest System (NFS) lands in Monroe County, West Virginia and Giles and Montgomery Counties, Virginia. 
New closure orders have been issued in the wake of the rescinding of the emergency order for the stabilization activities of the Mountain Valley Pipeline Project ROW and an access road on National Forest System (NFS) lands in Monroe County, West Virginia and Giles and Montgomery Counties, Virginia.
The new closure orders were enacted to protect public safety due to hazards associated with stabilizing the Mountain Valley Pipeline ROW.
The USDA Forest Service says one order prohibits going into or to be upon NFS lands within 200 feet of the outer edge of each side of the construction ROW where it’s already been cut on Brush Mountain and Sinking Creek Mountain.
A second order prohibits going into or being upon the area where trees have been cut (“cut area”) on the Peters Mountain construction ROW on NFS lands.
A third order prohibits going into or being upon a segment of Brush Mountain Road on NFS lands.
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is excluded from the Peters Mountain closure order and will remain open because it is not within the “cut area” of the ROW.
These new orders are in effect until January 10, 2019 on the segment of Brush Mountain Road, and December 31, 2019 on the ROW on Brush Mountain, Sinking Creek Mountain, and Peter’s Mountain, unless terminated earlier by the Authorized Officer.
