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Virginia regulators ordered Friday that all work cease on construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline along a 2-mile section of the route in eastern Montgomery County.

The state Department of Environmental Quality, in stopping work on the project for the first time, cited lapses in compliance with an approved erosion and sediment control plan. Agency Director David Paylor said in a news release that his agency is “appalled” by findings during an inspection Thursday.

Inspectors found a worksite without control measures near U.S. 11/460, DEQ spokeswoman Ann Regn said. Elsewhere in the same area were control devices that had not been maintained, she said.

“It’s a violation of the certification,” Regn said of the lapses found. “We did this certification to ensure natural resources are protected. We said all along we were going to hold them to a high standard.”

Conditions seen showed “an imminent and substantial adverse impact to water quality is likely to occur as a result of the land disturbing activities,” the DEQ said in a letter to the company, which is based in Pennsylvania. Clearing, grading and trenching were banned in the affected area until the DEQ had signed off on steps to fix the problems.