The Big Story 

Federal regulators have authorized the Mountain Valley Pipeline to begin operating following years of controversy that saw Democratic lawmakers split over the project.

© Heather Rousseau/The Roanoke Times via AP

The 303-mile pipeline, which is set to carry natural gas from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia, has been approved, according to a Tuesday letter from Terry Turpin, director of the Office of Energy Projects at the bipartisan Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The end of the years-long fight over the pipeline comes after President Biden signed a law last year requiring it to be approved as part of a deal to lift the debt ceiling.

The project has divided Democrats.

Longtime Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.), who recently registered as an Independent, backed the project, which would have carried energy produced in his home state. As part of a separate deal with Manchin to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, Democratic leaders agreed to support the project.

However, progressive lawmakers opposed the build-out of additional fossil fuel infrastructure, and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) raised local concerns about the pipeline that would run through his state. 

Natalie Cox, a spokesperson for Equitrans Midstream, one of the companies behind the pipeline, said in a written statement that “final preparations are underway to begin commercial operations” for the project.

Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

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Senate confirms former Manchin staffer to energy regulation agency

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed David Rosner’s nomination to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in a 68-26 vote. Alongside several Republicans, Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass) voted against the Democrats’ nomination to a position as commissioner. 

Kaine, in a statement that followed a procedural vote Tuesday, said he was opposing Rosner’s nomination over concerns about the agency’s handling of permits for gas pipelines, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline. 

“I have long advocated for a more fair and transparent process when it comes to permits for natural gas pipelines,” Kaine said Tuesday. “Today—the day that the MVP asked FERC for permission to switch on the gas—I voted no on rubber-stamping the same old people to FERC, especially to replace a commissioner who was forced out for implementing the kinds of permitting process improvements that Americans deserve.”

Rosner was an energy industry analyst for FERC and has also served on the Democratic staff of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.).

The Senate on Wednesday also passed procedural votes on two other nominees, Republican Lindsay See and Democrat Judy Chang, though their nominations have not yet come up for final passage.

Essential Reads 

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

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Historic redlining in California cities linked to disparities in urban wildlife presence: Study

Climate change protesters hoping to ‘shut down’ Congressional Baseball Game

In Other News 

Branch out with a different read on The Hill:

California bees and birds to receive increased protections from toxic insecticide

The California Fish and Game Commission has finalized a regulation prohibiting the larger Department of Fish and Wildlife from using certain toxic insecticides on lands under its jurisdiction.

On Our Radar 

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

• The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold an oversight hearing Thursday to examine the Bureau of Land Management. Agency Director Tracy Stone-Manning is slated to testify. 
  
  

• The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security will hold a hearing titled “Securing Americas Critical Materials Supply Chains and Economic Leadership.”

   

What We’re Reading 

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

• Climate change is deadly. Exactly how deadly? (NPR)
  
  

• Ford’s secretive low-cost EV team is growing with talent from Rivian, Tesla and Apple (TechCrunch)

   

• Dangerous Heat Wave Tests Puerto Ricans’ Ability To Survive The Latest Power Outages (HuffPost)

What Others are Reading 

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Boebert fights for political survival amid stream of controversies

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) is looking to overcome numerous unflattering headlines and allegations of carpetbagging as she seeks to win her GOP primary in a new House district this month. Read more

Giuliani bankruptcy hits breaking point as creditors seek takeover 

Tensions in Rudy Giuliani’s bankruptcy case are coming to a head, with his creditors hoping for the drastic remedy of having a third party take control of the former New York City mayor’s finances.  Read more