Nelson couple grants ‘immediate access’ for Atlantic Coast Pipeline tree felling
“Hours before their case was scheduled to go before a federal judge, Will and Lilia Fenton, owners of the Nelson County-based Fenton Inn, reached an understanding with Atlantic Coast Pipeline, allowing the project “immediate access” to their property.
About three weeks ago, Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC filed suit against Fenton Family Holdings LLC under the power of eminent domain. ACP filed the lawsuit because it was unable to negotiate an easement agreement with the Fentons.
The lawsuit sought “immediate access” to the Fentons’ property in hopes contractors would be able to begin non-mechanized tree felling on the land to prepare the way for the natural gas pipeline — which will stretch 600 miles from West Virginia to North Carolina and through Virginia, including about 27 miles in Nelson County.
Rather than fighting the request in court, though, Will Fenton said the parties reached an agreement on the immediate access issue late Sunday. The case was scheduled to be heard in the U.S. District Court’s Western District of Virginia Lynchburg court Monday.
“I guess [ACP lawyers] work on things on a last-minute basis,” he said.
The agreement between the Fentons and ACP means non-mechanized tree felling on the Fentons’ land — which will clear the way for full-scale construction once all outstanding state and federal approvals and a notice to proceed from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are received — will begin soon.”
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Brown, Emily. The Daily Progress 27 February 2018.