Associated Press Published

Proposed Pipeline Accepted for Pre-Application Review

Columbia Pipeline Group

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will review a proposed $2 billion natural gas pipeline in West Virignia before the developer formally submits an application.

The commission notified Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC last week that it accepted the Mountaineer Xpress Project for the pre-filing review process.

Parent companies Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc. and Columbia Pipeline Partners LP said Wednesday that an application will be filed with the federal commission in April 2016. If the pipeline is approved, construction would begin in the fall of 2017.

The pipeline would run about 165 miles from Marshall County to Wayne County. The companies say in a news release that the pipeline would give producers in the Marcellus and Utica shale areas new options to transport gas into the interstate market.