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License Agency Pauses Pipeline Review To Decide on Jurisdiction

wbeem/Flickr Creative Commons
The Virgin River, show here flowing past The Watchman, is the main water source for much of Washington County, and proponents say the Lake Powell Pipeline is essential for accomodating future growth. Opponents say conservation would get the job done.

A federal agency has pressed the “pause” button on the license for the Lake Powell Pipeline.

The Utah Division of Water Resources asked for the delay, after becoming concerned that other agencies might be drawn into the approval process.

Now, also at the state’s request, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is taking some time to decide on its jurisdiction. So, how much of a delay will that mean for the multi-billion-dollar water project? 

Joel Williams of Utah's Division of Water Resources says that’s something no one knows yet.“We don’t," he says. "That’s the big unknown right now is the timeline for when FERC will issue a decision.”

The state’s been working on the pipeline with the Washington County Water Conservancy District for over a dozen years. And the in-depth environmental review hasn’t even begun for a pipeline that runs roughly half the width of the state.

Judy Fahys has reported in Utah for two decades, covering politics, government and business before taking on environmental issues. She loves covering Utah, where petroleum-pipeline spills, the nation’s radioactive legacy and other types of pollution provide endless fodder for stories. Previously, she worked for the Salt Lake Tribune in Utah, and reported on the nation’s capital for States News Service and the Scripps League newspaper chain. She is a longtime member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors. She also spent an academic year as a research fellow in the Knight Science Journalism program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In her spare time, she enjoys being out in the environment, especially hiking, gardening and watercolor painting.
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