The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) is not vested with the right of eminent domain to survey land, so ruled the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals on November 15. The decision affirms an August 2015 ruling by the Circuit Court of Monroe County, WV that the MVP “is not vested with the power of eminent domain insofar as its pipeline is not for a public use.” The Circuit Court based its conclusion “on the fact that no West Virginia consumer would use any of the gas to be transported in MVP’s pipeline. MVP contended that surveying does not require a finding of public use. The Supreme Court disagreed, based upon explicit language in West Virginia Code Section 54-1-3. A copy of the opinion is available here.

West Virginia Supreme Court Strikes Down MVP Pipeline Surveys

ABRA CONSERVATION HUB

ABRA’s Conservation Hub program promotes responsible resource management by providing access to critical information needed for effective public involvement in environmental review and oversight.

Following the defeat of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline in 2020, ABRA initiated the Conservation Hub to support informed public engagement with the broader range of environmental issues confronting the Allegheny-Blue Ridge Mountain region. The Conservation Hub builds on the analysis and information sharing capacity achieved through ABRA’s Pipeline CSI project during the years of ACP opposition.

The Conservation Hub is based on the use of GIS mapping to provide details and context for land development projects and management practices that involve risk of environmental harm, as well as for environmental preservation and restoration initiatives. The Conservation Hub also provides access to regulatory documents and assessments related to specific projects or issues.

Multiple Conservation Hub sites, focused on individual projects or issues, have been developed collaboratively with ABRA’s partners and allies. Going forward, we invite conservation groups, individuals, and communities to provide ideas for new Hub sites and GIS mapping that can contribute to informed public engagement on behalf of environmental integrity in the Allegheny-Blue Ridge region.