A proposed mine safety test facility to be located in Mace, WV, straddling the Pocahontas-Randolph county line, has been approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), despite strong opposition over environmental issues from conservation groups in WV, local residents and the nearby Snowshoe Mountain Resort. The NIOSH decision was announced in an October 27 Federal Register Notice.

The test mine is to replace a facility located in Fayette County, PA and is to support research programs focused on miner health and safety issues. Opponents of the proposed facility, which included several ABRA members with interests in the area, expressed concerns about its impact on groundwater.

For more information, click here for a Charleston Gazette-Mail story.

WV mine safety site gets O.K., despite environmental concerns

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.