Twenty conservation groups, including ABRA and several of its members, have urged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reject the pending application by Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC for its pipeline project to receive a permit for stream crossings under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The comments were jointly filed on behalf of the conservation groups on May 28 by Appalachian Mountain Advocates, Southern Environmental Law Center and Natural Resources Defense Counsel.

Major points made in the 3,800-page filing included:

Not only is the MVP ineligible for authorization under Nationwide Permit 12, but the proposed activities are impermissible under the individual permit program.

The Corps should deny the application as the MVP is not in the public interest.

Issuance of the permit on the expedited timeframe requested by Mountain Valley would inevitably lead to a legally indefensible permit.

Given the scale of the project and its controversial nature, the Corps should hold a public hearing in connection with its consideration of the permit.

Conservation groups urge Army Corps to reject 404 permit for MVP

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.