Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizza Manhattan manager, Frank Santora, appeared on ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to discuss New York City’s green energy push. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court made a significant ruling, striking down a lower court’s decision to halt the construction of the 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP).
In an unsigned order, the Supreme Court vacated the stay orders from the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, allowing the pipeline construction to proceed. The 4th Circuit ruling had favored environmental groups that sought to stop the pipeline’s construction. Interestingly, the Biden administration, bipartisan lawmakers, and the fossil fuel industry opposed the 4th Circuit ruling.
The Department of Justice emphasized in an amicus brief that Congress had already decided that further reconsideration of the pipeline’s construction was unwarranted, prioritizing its timely completion over other federal statutes. Opponents of the 4th Circuit ruling pointed to the recent bipartisan debt limit bill signed by President Biden, which green-lighted all permits for the MVP project and shifted the judicial review jurisdiction from the 4th Circuit to the U.S. District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals.
Several lawmakers, including GOP Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler and Sen. Joe Manchin, expressed their support for the Supreme Court’s decision to let construction resume on the Mountain Valley Pipeline. They believe that the lower court’s activism should not interfere with lawful orders issued by the legislative and executive branches.
The pipeline, developed by Equitrans Midstream, is expected to transport about 2 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas from West Virginia to consumers in the Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic regions. Its completion is projected to generate substantial tax revenue and royalties for West Virginia and Virginia. Many supporters of the pipeline, including labor unions, governors, and industry groups, filed briefs in favor of the project.
Conservatives view the Supreme Court’s decision as a positive step toward promoting energy independence, lower energy costs, and economic growth in the region. They argue that lawful decisions by Congress and the president should not be obstructed by judicial activism, ensuring that Americans can benefit from this crucial infrastructure project.
