Report: Mountain Valley Pipeline test failure due to manufacturer defect, not corrosion

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — An independent report says the test failure of the Mountain Valley Pipeline in May resulted from a manufacturer defect and not corrosion. It says the May 1 rupture was caused by a manufacturer’s defect in an elbow joint. Mountain Valley owner said in a letter that the breach was the only failure during hydrostatic testing of the 303-mile pipeline. The project began operating in June across rugged mountainsides in West Virginia and Virginia. Environmental groups, landowners and some elected officials have long objected to the project.