An October 19 request by Dominion Energy Transmission, Inc. to commence construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline for certain portions of the project’s route in Virginia has met with strong objection from the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC). SELC’s October 26 letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission stated:

In light of the Fourth Circuit’s stay of the Forest Service right of way, the Commission should deny Atlantic’s October 19, 2018 request to proceed with construction in Virginia. The Commission should issue a stop-work order halting all construction activities on the ACP until Atlantic has an effective authorization from the Forest Service.

For more background, see the lead article in last week’s ABRA Update.

Objections Raised with FERC to ACP Construction Beginning in Virginia

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.