ABRA Conservation Hub

A program to strengthen environmental analysis, facilitate public participation and provide relevant resource informationfor projects affecting the Allegheny-Blue Ridge region Presentation Describing the Conservation Hub Presentation Introducing the ABRA Conservation Hub Hub in the News Featured Development Projects Affecting Regional Communities and Ecosystems Protecting West Virginia's Public Lands from Expanded Use of ORV/ATVs WV Lobbyists, Legislators Proposed Buckingham County Gold Mine Aston Bay Corridor H Planning & Construction WVDOT Rocky Forge Wind Farm Apex Clean Energy Lobbyists and legislators have persistently promoted off-highway vehicle recreation on West Virginia's public lands, Federal and state, for the last two years. For obvious reasons, the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy strongly opposes allowing this activity on our public lands. Since at least 2016, Aston Bay Holdings has drilled more than 20 exploratory holes in the A-1 agricultural zone on land situated between Yogaville and the Union Hill community. Other Buckingham County locations are also being targeted. According to its website, the company has exploration agreements on almost 5,000 acres surrounding the Buckingham gold vein. In total, it has options to lease mineral rights on more than 11,000 acres in central Virginia. Corridor H of the Appalachian Development Highway System, also known as US 48, will extend 157 miles from northern Virginia to central West Virginia. It is being constructed from Interstate 79 (I-79) in Weston eastward across the Allegheny Mountains to I-81 in Strasburg, Virginia. The Parsons to Davis Project is an approximately 10‐mile, new location, four‐lane, divided highway, with partial control of access. Apex Clean Energy is working to complete development and start construction on Rocky Forge Wind, potentially the first onshore wind farm in the Commonwealth. The project will produce up to 75MW of electricity from 14 turbines, each up to 620 feet tall. The project will provide enough energy to power up to 21,000 homes. Explore Conservation Hub initiatives within and around the National Forests of the Central Appalachian Highlands Upcoming Projects in 2023 Land Application of Biosolids: Are toxic chemicals being spread on our agricultural land? Wastewater treatment plants don't just treat sewage. They also process materials from food production and other industrial facilities. Some also treat landfill leachate, which is known to contain toxic chemicals, such as PFAS, also known as "Forever Chemicals". Working with local scientists and Virginia DEQ, this Hub project aims to understand: What, exactly, are "biosolids"? Where are they coming from and where are they going? Do current regulations protect our land? Our farmers? Our food? U.S. Forest Service Projects Upper Elk River Project Upper Cheat River Project Cranberry Spring Creek Project Gauley Healthy Forest Restoration Greenbrier Southeast Grassy Ridge The National Forest Integrity Project is a sister program of the ABRA Conservation Hub. It monitors U.S. Forest Service actions with the aim of improving transparency and promoting public participation. According to the US Forest Service, the proposed Upper Elk River project aims to contribute to the resiliency of the landscape by improving the health and diversity of forests in the face of a changing climate. According to the US Forest Service, the proposed Upper Cheat project aims to move the Upper Cheat watershed closer the 2006 Revised Forest Plan by improving forest health and age class diversity, wildlife habitat, as well as riparian conditions and habitat. According to the US Forest Service, the proposed Cranberry Spring Creek (CSC) project will emphasize improvement of forest health and visitor experience and move toward management objectives outlined in the Forest Plan for the Monongahela National Forest (MNF). The project includes commercial timber harvest, road construction, and work related to habitat and recreation enhancement, as well as a focus on cultural resources. According to the US Forest Service, the proposed Gauley Healthy Forest Restoration Project will involve ecosystem management activities intended to protect against insect or disease infestation, or that reduce hazardous fuels. The project activity area includes about 3,000 acres of timber harvest and 60 miles of temporary road construction. The total project area, north and east of Richwood, WV, covers about 40,000 acres. According to the US Forest Service, the Greenbrier Southeast project seeks to improve forest stand health and composition to improve future wildlife habitat and to provide for future commercial timber sales and economic projects. The project area is located in northern Pocahontas County, WV, approximately 2 miles east of Bartow, WV. Explore Conservation Hub Data Selected data sources hosted by the Conservation Hub are available by clicking on the data subject card below, or by searching on keywords. Project-specific data can be found on the individual project pages, or downloaded from their respective interactive maps. A basic data catalog, containing all data sources hosted by the Hub can be found here. Note that, while this document is updated regularly, it is not maintained in real time. Additional data sets may be referenced from outside sources, such as government agencies. Species of Concern Geology & Geohazards Slope Water and Related Data Boundaries Conservation Hub Events & Training Due to health concerns related to the Covid-19 pandemic, ABRA is not currently organizing in-person training or scoping sessions for Conservation Hub. However, we can host live training webinars upon request and recorded tutorials related to Conservation Hub and online GIS will be posted as they become available.. Data working session Community Hackathon - Flickr: ajturner Contact Us: Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance Dan Shaffer:  Hub Administrator Rick Webb:  ABRA Executive Director

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