The Associated Press

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - A stalled project to build a petroleum pipeline through southern Ohio could be up and running by Monday.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers halted construction on a Marathon Ashland Petroleum pipeline project after inspections early this week revealed violations at a section running through the Richland Furnace State Forest in northern Jackson County, Ohio.

Inspectors said workers dumped fill into waterways, failed to control erosion and sediment and worked outside the approved right-of-way.

On Thursday the corps met with representatives from Ohio River Pipeline LLC to discuss ways to correct the problems and resume work on the 149-mile pipeline.

"They are going to provide us with a list of interim corrective measures to review over the holiday weekend," said Rebecca Rutherford, chief of the corps' north regulatory section.

If acceptable, the company could start working to fix the problems on Monday, Rutherford said. Erosion control and other measures must be implemented before pipeline construction can resume, she said.

Ohio River Pipeline also is required to submit a long-range plan to address the construction of the remaining section of the pipeline.

The inspection on Monday was the fourth time the corps had noted problems with the project. The company was notified in November 2002 and May and June of this year.

Marathon Ashland Petroleum spokesman Chuck Rice said the company received the suspension order Wednesday and construction was only halted on Thursday.

"Quite frankly, we thought we were meeting the requirements and following the orders we were supposed to be following," Rice said. "Apparently not."

Wet weather this spring has made it difficult to implement erosion control plans, he said.

The $100 million, 14-inch pipeline will connect a Marathon storage terminal in Kenova with a terminal in Columbus, Ohio. About 40 miles remain on the project, and Rice said it should be finished by September.

Ohio River Pipeline is a subsidiary of Marathon Ashland Petroleum and holds the permit to build the line.