The Democrat Staff Director of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Sarah Venuto, has been named Vice President of Public Policy for Duke Energy. She began her duties on January 13.

Ms. Venuto was appointed to the minority staff director position of the Senate Energy Committee in January 2019 after serving for 4 years on the staff of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who is the Ranking Member of the Committee. Before that, Ms. Venuto was a lobbyist for the natural gas industry.

Top Democrat Energy Staffer Joins Duke Energy as VP

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.