Permit needed to build pipeline temporarily halted by court

A federal appeals court ordered a temporary halt to a water-crossing permit needed to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline that'll run from northern West Virginia into North Carolina.

News outlets report the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the order Wednesday after environmental and citizen groups asked the court to stay the permit. Lawyers for the groups wrote the project's so-called "Nationwide 12" permit can't meet conditions stipulating that stream crossings must be completed in 72 hours, and that structures authorized by the permit cannot impede fish from swimming upstream or downstream.

The Army Corps of Engineers originally issued the permit before the court suspended that verification in July. During that time, the pipeline decided to use a method that some say violates those conditions.

A pipeline spokesman says the project would temporarily suspend some waterbody crossings.