© 2024 Red River Radio
Voice of the Community
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Higher Court Ok's Pipeline Construction Through Atchafalaya Basin

Courtesy-Creative Commons-Wikimedia

(FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS) - Construction of a crude oil pipeline through Louisiana's environmentally fragile Atchafalaya Basin swamp can continue,  under  a federal appeals court decision handed down Friday.

A divided panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a lower court's preliminary injunction blocking construction of the Bayou Bridge Pipeline.

The 2-1 decision was a victory for Bayou Bridge Pipeline LLC, whose lawyers had urged the panel to 

Credit Courtesy: Julie Dermansky-Earthwatch.org
/
Courtesy: Julie Dermansky-Earthwatch.org
Bayou Bridge pipeline construction continues through Atchafalaya Basin despite environmental groups objections.

throw out the previous U.S. District Judge's injunction in April. 

The decision comes after a number of lawsuits by environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, Atchafalaya  BasinKeeper  and  others.  Collectively, the groups said the pipeline potentially threatens  the wetlands and centuries-old ‘legacy trees’ which can’t be replaced once they’re cut down.    The pipeline company recently told the court that it expects to complete construction by October.

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.