Energy and Environment Monitor

Sustainable Economic Development

Federal Court Rules that a West Virginia County Cannot Deny a Request to Re-Zone Property to Allow for Construction of a Natural Gas Compressor Station

August 29, 2018

          A federal district court in West Virginia ruled on Wednesday that Fayette County’s zoning code is preempted by the Natural Gas Act as it applies to Mountain Valley Pipeline’s FERC-approved activities in connection with a compressor station to be constructed in that county. See Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC v. Wender, et al., No. 2:17-cv-4377 (S.D.W.Va. Aug. 29, 2018), ECF No. 34. MVP obtained a…

How the Congressional Review Act (CRA) Allows Congress to Undo Executive Branch Regulations

January 26, 2017

The Congressional Review Act (“CRA”) allows Congress to disapprove so-called “midnight” rules of an outgoing administration. But, disapprovals require congressional approvals and are subject to presidential vetoes—making them of limited utility where a rule was issued by an agency of a current president.  Thus, while Congress voted to disapprove several rules under the Obama administration,…