A February 19 proposal by Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (MVP, LLC) to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) asking for authority to have the Mountain Valley Pipeline change the method for wetlands and waterbodies will be open for public comments. The deadline for comment submission is March 22. The request to FERC asks approval of a change from “the open-cut crossings that were authorized by the Certificate to one of several trenchless methods. Mountain Valley proposes to use trenchless methods at 120 locations to cross 181 waterbodies and wetlands that the Commission originally authorized as open-cut.” A link to the request by MVP, LLC is available here. A copy of the FERC notice is here.

Comments on MVP stream crossing proposal due March 22

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.