The National Park Service has yet to approve an application for TransCanada to survey an area just west of Hancock, Maryland.
The company plans to lay a natural gas pipeline under the historic C&O Canal and the Potomac River.
The proposal has drawn protests from residents concerned about the impact of the gas pipeline on the river and the canal.
TransCanada applied for a survey permit in September 2016 saying it hoped to begin the survey in October and complete the survey by the end of this year – and that it hoped to apply for a construction permit this month.
But the National Park Service is sitting on the application to survey and won’t say why.
“We have only received requests for survey work,” said National Park Service spokesperson Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles. “We are reviewing these requests and have not issued any permits to the company at this time.”
“The company has not applied for a right-of-way permit at this time,” Anzelmo-Sarles said. “If and when the company submits an application, careful consideration will be given to the request to evaluate any potential impacts at that time. The National Park Service must consider the purposes and resources of the affected national park system, as expressed in statutes, regulations, and policies. The National Park Service values public input and will strive to make sure the public and relevant stakeholders are kept up-to-date on the project. If the company applies for a right-of-way permit at a later date, we will share additional information at that time.”