The adequacy of stream crossing plans in Virginia for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline will be the subject of a new 30-day public comment period, in accordance with a vote on April 12 by the State Water Control Board. Official language on the Board’s action is not yet available, but the Department of Environmental Quality provided ABRA with the following statement:

Additional information on the public comment period and the SWCB’s meeting will be available in the near future. The State Water Control Board authorized receiving written, public comments on water crossings and wetlands that are covered under the Army Corps of Engineers Nationwide 12 Permit. We are gathering the details to let people know when the comment period will be, how to access the NW 12 plans, what types of technical information will be beneficial, and how to submit comments to the Board.

For more information on this development, see the Richmond Times-Dispatch article below in In the News (“Regulatory board cracks open door”).

Virginia Agrees to Comment Period on ACP Stream Crossings

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.