The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission may have to soon figure out how to paper over another defect in the federal permitting process for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Construction has begun in West Virginia and North Carolina, but the pipeline still lacks some environmental approvals in Virginia, and work here has been limited to tree clearing. “We will continue working in all other areas of West Virginia and North Carolina, where we are making significant progress.”Ruby’s favorite three words to describe the pipeline regulatory process are “thorough and exhaustive,” (Google “Aaron Ruby” and “thorough and exhaustive” if you don’t believe me). In fact, he thinks it’s been the most rigorous review of a pipeline project ever at the state and federal level. Turns out though, the reviews don’t appear so fulsome once the courts start looking under the hood.