Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Appalachian Trail Pipeline

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a key permit for a pipeline that would cross the Appalachian Trail, voting 7-2 to reverse a lower court’s decision to block the project.

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline project has been on pause since 2018, when a federal appeals court ruled that the Forest Service had “abdicated its responsibility” by permitting the pipeline to cross the Appalachian Trail without considering potential safety and environmental impacts. Construction of the pipeline would require crews to permanently maintain a 50-foot treeless corridor above the pipeline, and clear a much wider swath during construction.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.