In an action brought by environmental groups, a federal appeals court has blocked construction of a proposed stretch of natural gas pipeline that would cross the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, saying federal regulators failed to abide by appropriate permitting procedures.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, sitting in Richmond, said the federal Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Services acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” in granting construction permits to Atlantic Coast Pipeline Inc.