The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) filed a motion in federal court to invalidate its earlier approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). Under section 401 of the Clean Water Act, individual states must certify that interstate gas pipelines will not have significant effects on water quality before construction can begin. The agency had previously granted the MVP its 401 certification before environmental groups challenged it in court. Attorneys with the public interest law firm Appalachian Mountain Advocates filed the challenge on behalf of a coalition that included the Sierra Club, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, Indian Creek Watershed Association, Appalachian Voices, and Chesapeake Climate Action Network. DEP agreed that it needed to reconsider MVP’s application involving 631 stream crossings, and today, officially asked the court to grant a voluntary remand and set aside its previous certification. DEP’s motion came just a day before it would have been required to defend its certification in federal court. For more, see here.

WV DEP Asks Federal Court to Vacate 401 Certification for MVP

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.