Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court on Wednesday in support of the Mountain Valley Pipeline project, joining Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on the same side of the issue despite their political feud.
Construction on the natural gas pipeline was supposed to resume earlier this month in West Virginia and Virginia. However, progress on the project stopped again after the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay, preventing construction from restarting.
SENATE VOTES TO KEEP CHINA FROM BUYING US FARMLAND
“We absolutely need the pipeline to go,” Justice said, according to the Bluefield Daily Telegraph. “We don’t need any more delays. I’m very confident the Supreme Court will move and move in our way.”
The governor’s legal action in the case is notable, considering he and Manchin have become political rivals. Earlier this year, Justice announced his 2024 Senate campaign for Manchin’s seat in West Virginia.
Last week, Manchin asked the Supreme Court to step in by filing an amicus brief of his own.
“It’s a shame when members of Congress have to ask the Supreme Court to intervene to maintain the credibility of the laws that we have passed and the president has signed, but I am confident that the court will uphold our laws and allow construction of MVP to resume,” Manchin said.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The 303-mile pipeline has been stalled for five years due to several court delays, but House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and President Joe Biden helped expedite the process of returning to construction earlier this summer.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court allowed construction on the Mountain Valley Pipeline to proceed.