Judge dismisses suit by gas company to force access under rail-trail

by KATE SHUNNEY

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Columbia Gas in which the gas company argued it should have access to a right-of-way under the Western Maryland Rail Trail for a proposed natural gas pipeline.

In January, Maryland officials on the Board of Public Works denied the gas company access to a .12-acre tract of land that would allow the gas pipeline to run under the Western Maryland Rail Trail. The…