Vermont Gas Systems has cleared all the necessary regulatory hurdles to move forward with staging for the construction of its controversial natural gas pipeline.
Spokesman Steve Wark confirmed Tuesday that the company received a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to set up staging for Phase 1 of its pipeline, which extends from Chittenden County to Middlebury.
The company applied for a waiver on June 10, hoping the Vermont Public Service Board would allow it to go ahead with staging without the ACOE permit. The board denied that waiver Tuesday morning, saying the company had provided “an insufficient reason to compel our exercise of” the rule that allows the board to grant exceptions “to prevent hardship or injustice.”
Wark said Tuesday afternoon that the waiver denial was “moot” and confirmed that the company had the ACOE permit and was clear to go ahead with the pipeline build-out.
According to Wark, staging for Phase 1 of the pipeline is underway now, and the company will begin installing pipe as soon as it is ready. Wark estimates construction on Phase 1 will be complete late this year or early next year.
