Dominion Resources today submitted revised applications for conversion of open space on 10 Virginia Outdoors Foundation easements in Highland, Bath, Augusta and Nelson counties that lie in the path of the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline. The applications will be considered by the VOF board of trustees at its next meeting in Richmond on February 9,…
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) capped off its 50th anniversary celebration in 2016 by recording several conservation easements in the last week of December that pushed its portfolio of protected land past the 800,000-acre mark. Altogether, VOF protected about 21,000 new acres of farmland, forestland and other open space across 39 localities in 2016. Its…
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation yesterday responded to recent exchanges of information between the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) related to the possible crossing of 10 VOF easements by the current proposed pipeline route. FERC sought input from ACP about the proposed crossings in a letter to the developers on…
Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) LLC, recently filed a new route alternative for its proposed gas pipeline in southwestern Virginia that, if adopted, would avoid crossing all Virginia Outdoors Foundation easements. MVP filed the proposed route, called the Mount Tabor Route Variation, with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on October 13. MVP’s previous proposed route would…
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation has asked Mountain Valley Pipeline and Atlantic Coast Pipeline developers to present applications for conversion of open space land under the Open Space Land Act at its February 9, 2017 board meeting if the current alignments and project schedules remain unchanged. Upon consideration, it was decided that the February meeting is the…
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation recently learned that the historic Elk Hill property in Nelson County, which is protected by a VOF easement, has been added to the formal scoping process for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) being conducted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In response, VOF issued a letter to FERC stating that…
Two natural gas pipeline projects that had been planning to present applications for conversion of VOF-protected open space at the upcoming September 29 VOF board meeting have deferred those applications until a later date, to be determined. The applications by Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) and Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), which were first shared with VOF’s Energy and…
Note: Please read an update to this story here. Two natural gas pipeline projects in Virginia — Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) and Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) — are planning to present applications for conversion of protected open space on 11 Virginia Outdoors Foundation easements at VOF’s board meeting on September 29. The companies behind the…
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation was named a Gold Medal recipient during the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award ceremony on April 7 at the 27th Environment Virginia Symposium in Lexington, Va. The awards recognize significant contributions of environmental and conservation leaders in four categories: sustainability, environmental project, land conservation, and implementation of the Virginia Outdoors Plan. VOF…
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation recently learned of proposed changes to the route of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) that indicate new possible intersections with VOF easements in the Shenandoah Valley. VOF staff has scheduled meetings with ACP staff to determine the specifics of the proposed changes. VOF’s focus is on making certain that the pipeline…