Federal Court Blocks Natural Gas Pipeline Construction In Western Maryland
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A pipeline that would have run under parts of western Maryland will not move forward at this time.
The United States District Court of Maryland blocked construction of a pipeline under state-owned land in western Maryland on Wednesday, agreeing with Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh that the pipeline company was not allowed to move forward with it.
Columbia Gas filed their lawsuit on May 17 after the Maryland Board of Public Works unanimously voted against granting an easement for a segment of the pipeline that would be drilled under the Western Maryland Rail Trail.
The lawsuit sought a preliminary injunction to grant Columbia Gas immediate access to the property.
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The Attorney General's motion to dismiss was filed June 17.
"We are pleased that the court has agreed that a private pipeline company cannot force the State to accept a pipeline under the Western Maryland Rail Trail," said Attorney General Brian Frosh. "We will continue to defend Maryland's right to control its public lands against any other efforts by the natural gas industry to move forward with this project."
Columbia Gas is owned by TransCanada Corp, and the pipeline would have moved fracked gas from Pennsylvania to a proposed insulation factor in West Virginia.
Over 60 General Assembly members signed a letter opposing the grant of an easement.
