U.S. Forest Service to Prepare a New “Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for MVP

From: Joby Timm, US Forest Service, Nov 16, 2022
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Subject: Mountain Valley Pipeline Notice of Intent Pre-notification for New SEIS
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Good Afternoon,

I am reaching out to key partners of the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests to advise you of the next steps in the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project.

The MVP project crosses 3.5 miles of the Jefferson National Forest in Giles and Montgomery Counties, Virginia, and Monroe County, West Virginia.  Results of litigation in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in 2018 and 2022 vacated previous Forest Service decisions related to the project. 

This summer, MVP submitted a right-of-way application and Plan of Development to the Bureau of Land Management, the federal agency responsible for permitting the pipeline right-of-way.  The BLM forwarded these to the Forest Service for processing.

As we work to address specific concerns identified by the Court, the Forest Service will prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). This process begins with an announcement in the Federal Register known as the “Notice of Intent,” which we anticipate being published tomorrow.

We anticipate the SEIS process will take about a year to complete.  The Draft SEIS, too, will be announced in the Federal Register, and the public will have the opportunity to comment.

For more information on this project, please visit the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests website. If you receive inquiries about this effort, please forward them to SM.FS.GWJNF-PA@usda.gov or request the inquirer leave a message at 1-888-603-0261.

Thank you. -JOB

Joby P. Timm, Forest Supervisor, US Forest Service

George Washington and Jefferson National Forest

EMAIL: joby.timm@usda.gov

ADDRESS: Supervisors Office, 5162 Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke, VA 24019

US Forest Service ~ Caring for the land and serving people, www.fs.fed.us