Forest Service Releases Draft Supplemental EIS for MVP

The Supervisor of the Jefferson National Forest (JNG), Joby Timm, announced on September 25 the availability of a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) for the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). The action is pursuant to a July 30 Notice of Intent from the Forest Service (see ABRA Update of July 30). The finalization of the DEIS is necessary for the MVP to obtain approval to cross the JNF. Supervisor Timm states:

The Forest Service published a Notice of Availability today that a Draft Supplement Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) is available for public comment. The comment period is for 45 days. The DSEIS analyzes the use and occupancy of National Forest System lands for the Mountain Valley Pipeline project, as well as associated project-specific amendments for the Jefferson National Forest Plan.

The Forest Service prepared this draft supplemental analysis to address the Fourth Circuit Court’s ruling, new information, and changed circumstances such as new Federally listed threatened and endangered species and critical habitat designations.

For more information on this Notice of Availability, please visit the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests website.

Please submit comments about this DSEIS here: https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public//CommentInput?Project=50036 or mail them to George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, MVP Project, 5162 Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoake, VA 24019.

For questions regarding the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, please feel free to contact Joby Timm at 540-265-5118.

The DSEIS will be published in the Federal Register, probably next week. A copy of the document is available here. The comment deadline is November 2, 2020.

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.