Protecting the heritage, resources and economy of the Allegheny-Blue Ridge region
Comments on the request by Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC to have a new Section 401 Water Protection Permit issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for MVP related to its crossing streams and wetlands in Virginia are due October 27.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will be releasing by November 19 the final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the restoration work that must be done on the route for the now-cancelled Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP). The SEIS will be a crucial document in FERC’s approval for the restoration plans submitted earlier this year for the ACP and the related Supply Header Project.
Public hearings by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding the permit application submitted by Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC for its proposed pipeline to cross certain bodies of water along the project’s path in West Virginia and Virginia will be held November 1,
The significant revisions made to the Endangered Species Act regulations by the Trump Administration in December 2020 are close to being reversed by the Biden Administration. The U.S. Department of Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) developed last summer proposed regulations to undue the Trump changes that had relaxed protection criteria for critical habitats of endangered species.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced September 30 that it will conduct two virtual public hearings to solicit the views of interested persons regarding the permit application submitted by Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC to cross certain bodies of water along the project’s path in West Virginia and Virginia.
Proposed changes in regulations governing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) were announced October 6 by the Biden Administration. NEPA is the basic law governing the manner in which environmental reviews are conducted of proposed projects, such as pipelines. The announced revisions would reverse changes made to NEPA regulations in 2020 by former President Trump (for earlier ABRA Update article on Trump changes,
The Virginia Freedom of Information Council, a state agency, has announced it will be conducting online training sessions about the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and how to use it.
A session on “Access to Public Records will be held October 27 at 10 am.
Fifteen conservation groups were represented in comments filed September 13 by the Southern Environmental Law Center, Appalachian Mountain Advocates and Chesapeake Bay Foundation regarding the Draft Supplemental Impact Statement for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline route that was published on July 23 by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
H
Sponsor: Friends of Buckingham
Developer: Aston Bay
Since at least 2016, Aston Bay Holdings has drilled more than 20 exploratory holes in the A-1 agricultural zone on land situated between Yogaville and the Union Hill community.
Sponsor: National Forest Integrity Project
Developer: U.S.Forest Service
According to the US Forest Service, the Greenbrier Southeast project seeks to improve forest stand health and composition to improve future wildlife habitat and to provide for future commercial timber sales and economic projects.
Sponsor: Rockbridge Area Conservation Council
Developer: Apex Clean Energy
Apex Clean Energy is working to complete development and start construction on Rocky Forge Wind, potentially the first onshore wind farm in the Commonwealth.
Sponsor: Friends of Blackwater
Developer: WVDOT/WVDOH
Corridor H of the Appalachian Development Highway System, also known as US 48, will extend 157 miles from northern Virginia to central West Virginia. It is being constructed from Interstate 79 (I-79) in Weston eastward across the Allegheny Mountains to I-81 in Strasburg,