A key state permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline was approved by state regulators in 2018, clearing a major hurdle for the interstate natural gas project to move ahead in North Carolina.
The state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced its long-awaited decision more than a year and a half after Duke Energy and other partners filed their application. Opponents immediately vowed to file legal challenges to block the project, and a few years later, they were successful.
The approval for the NC underground Atlantic Coast Pipeline came with several conditions for monitoring, testing, and strict inspections. All through its eight-month review, NC’s DEQ said in an announcement that the agency had left no stone unturned.
So, in 2018, NC regulators approved critical water quality and construction permits, which enabled the construction of a 600-mile-long gas pipeline along the Atlantic Coast.
The controversial $5-$8 billion natural gas project (proposed by Dominion Energy and Duke Energy) was set to traverse eight eastern North Carolina counties: Cumberland, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Northampton, Robeson, Sampson, and Wilson.
Atlantic Coast Pipeline cancellation
However, despite winning several major regulatory milestones, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline Project was canceled by the developers in July 2020 due to rising costs, mounting delays, and continuing legal challenges, resulting in financial uncertainty.
Duke Energy said it is looking to advance its clean energy goals through investments in battery storage, renewable energy, and more projects. While disappointed we’re unable to move forward with the Atlantic Coast Pipeline Project, Duke Energy stated it will continue exploring the best ways to help its customers across eastern North Carolina.
A victory for a clean, sustainable energy future.
The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) said the decision to cancel the project was a victory for landowners and public land in the pipeline’s projected path and for those who deserve a clean, sustainable energy future.
The Law Center stated that the Atlantic Coast Pipeline was a wrong initiative from the start. After many years of threats to the environment, fierce opposition, and legal defeats, SELC said it was relieved that Duke and Dominion had mage the right decision to cancel the project.