Army Corps halts work on Mountain Valley gas pipeline at Va. water crossings

The Army Corps of Engineers on Oct. 5 suspended a key permit for Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC, halting construction on the 2-Bcf/d gas project at 383 stream crossings and 142 wetland crossings in southwest Virginia.

"Because of that order, it is uncertain whether [the permit] will ultimately be available to authorize work for [Mountain Valley] in West Virginia," the Army Corps said in a letter to Mountain Valley developers. "Effective immediately you must stop all activities being done in reliance upon the authorization under the [permit]."

States taking closer look at gas utilities after Mass. explosions

After Columbia Gas of Massachusetts' system overpressurization that caused a series of fires and explosions, regulators and consumer advocates in states where other NiSource Inc. subsidiaries operate are asking whether a similar incident could happen elsewhere.

Bureau of Land Management methane rule back in court after revisions

Environmental groups sued the U.S. Department of the Interior over a recently finalized rule limiting methane emissions on federal land, alleging it does not adequately curb waste and prevent air pollution.

The environmental groups opposing the revision said in a Sept. 28 complaint that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke illegally rescinded the original rule and that the cost-benefit analysis in the regulation now fails to consider global climate costs, among other objections.

Enbridge plans to retire Line 5 oil, liquids service, relocate to tunnel

Michigan regulators announced Oct. 3 that Enbridge Inc. agreed to shut down an underwater oil and natural gas liquids pipeline system under the waterway connecting Lake Michigan and Lake Huron and tunnel into the bedrock to house new energy infrastructure.

Under the agreement, Enbridge would cover the costs of the tunnel construction, which is expected to take seven to 10 years, and would build new pipe inside the tunnel, Michigan regulators said during an Oct. 3 conference call.

White House could aid pipeline projects in 2019, economic adviser says

The Trump administration intends to encourage the development of U.S. oil and natural gas pipeline projects in the coming year as the administration moves forward on its deregulation track, according to the White House's leading economic adviser.

UGI facing $2.1M fine for role in 2017 fatal gas blast in Pennsylvania

The investigative unit of Pennsylvania's utility regulatory body recommended that UGI Utilities Inc. pay a $2.09 million fine for its role in a deadly house explosion in 2017 caused by natural gas.