Fifty Democratic state lawmakers have sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requesting a halt to the permit process for the MVP Southgate natural gas pipeline project.

In the letter sent to the commission on February 9, the lawmakers argued that Equitrans Midstream's proposed changes to the project's route and capacity constitute a new project altogether, requiring a fresh start to the authorization process.

The original MVP Southgate proposal, submitted in 2020, envisioned a 70-mile pipeline traversing Rockingham and Alamance Counties in North Carolina. 

Equitrans Midstream, the pipeline's developer, recently unveiled a revised plan that shortens the route to 31 miles within Rockingham County while increasing its diameter and capacity. This modification would allow the pipeline to transport nearly twice the amount of natural gas compared to the initial proposal.

Lawmakers contend that these alterations go beyond mere adjustments and instead represent a fundamentally different project with distinct environmental impacts. They highlight the increased capacity's contribution to climate change and express concern about the lack of clarity regarding the revised route's environmental footprint.

Equitrans Midstream maintains that the changes constitute an amendment to the existing project and not an entirely new one. They emphasize their commitment to the project and assert that the update demonstrates their ongoing efforts to see it through.

The development comes amidst ongoing legal challenges to the larger MVP pipeline project, which faces delays due to permit denials and environmental lawsuits. The fate of the Southgate extension now hinges on FERC's decision regarding the lawmakers' request.