"Although the Court does not reach applicant’s suggestion that it treat the application as a petition for a writ of mandamus at this time, that determination is without prejudice to further consideration in light of subsequent developments," it said."The application to vacate stays presented to The Chief Justice and by him referred to the Court is granted," the Supreme Court added. It didn’t provide any explanation of its decision.
The decision went against the Wilderness Society and other environmental groups that sought an injunction to halt construction. Those groups argued in court that the Mountain Valley Pipeline construction would negatively affect endangered species and said that the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management violated environmental statutes by approving its construction.
Mountain Valley Pipeline said the work is largely complete, except for a 3-mile section that cuts through the Jefferson National Forest. The $6.6 billion project is designed to meet growing energy demands in the South and Mid-Atlantic by transporting gas from the Marcellus and Utica fields in Pennsylvania and Ohio.