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Blackwater Falls in Blackwater Falls State Park attracts visitors who spend more than $25 million in the region yearly, according to West Virginia State Parks. (Adobe Stock).<br />

Monday, April 29, 2024

Report: WV’s Blackwater River among America’s most endangered

The Blackwater River, which flows more than 30 miles through West Virginia's Allegheny Mountains, ranks among the top 10 most endangered rivers in …

The 17,371 acre Dolly Sods Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, according to the U.S. Forest Service. (Adobe Stock)<br />

After Alaskan mining decision, other states may step up conservation efforts

The Biden administration has denied approval for a project to build more than 200 miles of road in the Alaskan wilderness. On this Earth Day…

According to the U.S. Forest Service, West Virginia has more than 15,000 acres of state-owned lands. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Concerns voiced about language in WV forest management bill

The West Virginia Senate has passed a bill to allow private forest fire management on state lands but environmental groups said they are concerned its…

Research shows West Virginia's Corridor H highway could potentially impact threatened and endangered species such as the West Virginia flying squirrel. (Adobe Stock)

After WV Town Greenlights Corridor H Highway, Residents Want Input

Residents in West Virginia want more input on a four-lane highway slated to cut through the towns of Thomas and Davis, continuing over the Blackwater …

Hundred-year-old trees, such as those found in West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest, continue to soak up carbon over time, according to research published in the journal Nature. (Adobe Stock)

West Virginia Groups Rally to Protect Old-Growth Trees

The U.S. Forest Service plans to chop down what conservation groups say are large swaths of old-growth trees in the Monongahela National Forest…

A bridge pier slide area in the Kerens-to-Parsons section of the under-construction Corridor H highway project near Moore, West Virginia. (Pamela Moe)<br />

Many WV Small Businesses Want Northern Route for Corridor H Highway

Small businesses in Thomas and Davis say they would prefer a planned four-lane highway to be rerouted north, instead of running through what they say …

The Long Run watershed, located in the Greenbrier Southeast Project area, supports native brook trout and drains into waters that are home to the endangered candy darter fish. (Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance)<br /><br />

Conservation Groups Scrutinize Monongahela Timber-Harvest Proposal

A U.S. Forest Service timber-harvest proposal in Pocahontas County has conservation groups worried about potential harmful impacts to endangered …

The Williams River in the Monongahela National Forest in one of the places conservation groups in West Virginia are working to protect against the effects of development. (Adobe Stock)

Mapping Project Uses Data to Guide WV Conservation Efforts

Conservation experts in the state are expanding a forest mapping tool to assess the impact of development on thousands of acres of public lands…

Radio telemetry can identify radio-tagged animals 10 or miles away. (West Virginia Department of Commerce)

WV Using Radio Technology to Track Wildlife Migratory Patterns

UNION, W.Va. -- West Virginia researchers are utilizing old-school radio technology to study the migratory patterns of wildlife in remote areas of …

National historical parks, like Harpers Ferry in West Virginia, could soon reduce their backlog of deferred maintenance by using funds from the Great American Outdoors Act. (Adobe Stock)

WV Parks Expect Upgrades Soon from Great American Outdoors Act

HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. -- West Virginia's national parks and historic sites will soon get a much-needed makeover as workers replace bridges, fix roads …

West Virginia's Cheat River flows from five major tributaries, known as the

Ongoing Restoration Key to Improving Cheat River Water Quality

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- June has been National Rivers Month, and in West Virginia, conservation groups are celebrating the results of decades-long …

West Virginia's forests support more than 35% of the world's cerulean warblers, an endangered species. (Wikimedia Commons)<br /><br />

WV Groups Applaud Landmark Wildlife Recovery Act

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - As the nation faces what scientists call a mass extinction crisis, West Virginia environmental groups are hailing Congress's new …

This feeder line in Monongalia County is part of the larger Mountain Valley Pipeline under construction to bring gas from West Virginia to Virginia. (Jim Kotcon)

Report Questions Mountain Valley Pipeline's Financial Viability

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline may not be needed because natural-gas demand in the Southeast is expected to decline over …

Legal and regulatory challenges have increased the cost of the Mountain Valley Pipeline project by more than 50%. (Alexandr Anastasin/Adobe Stock)

Conservationists Urge Higher Fines for Mountain Valley Pipeline Project

CHARLESTON, W. Va. -- The multibillion-dollar Mountain Valley Pipeline Project is being fined more than $300,000 for excessive erosion and sediment …

The candy darter is one endangered fish species that conservation groups want to protect from the effects of pipeline construction in Virginia and West Virginia. (Native Fish Coalition)<br /><br />

WV Groups Laud Court "Freeze" on Pipeline Construction

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Conservation groups are applauding a federal court ruling that blocks permit approval to construct the Mountain Valley Pipeline …

A new nature preserve in West Virginia represents an innovative approach to restoring land polluted by former coal mines. (Flickr)

WV Land Polluted by Coal Mines Transforms into Recreation Area

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - As a result of a lawsuit over water pollution from mining, a tract of land that once housed surface mines is being repurposed as …

The Supreme Court paved the way for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline to cross the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. (Wikimedia Commons)

Environmentalists: Supreme Court Pipeline Ruling a “Disaster”

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Just after the Supreme Court released its ruling on LGBTQ rights on Monday, the high court announced another decision that has …

Supporters of Harpers Ferry say the historic Lockwood Housem a Civil War headquarters and then part of the first college for freed slaves, is slowly crumbling for lack of maintenance. (The Pew Charitable Trusts)

Poll: Huge Public Support for Investing In National Parks

CHARLESTON, W. Va. — Americans love their national parks and want Congress to invest in maintaining them, according to a new national poll from …

Supporters of Harpers Ferry say the National Park Service needs funds to help maintain historic sites like John Brown's Fort, where the abolitionist made his last stand. (Mamageek/Wikimedia)

Calls to Address Maintenance at Nat'l. Parks, Including Harpers Ferry

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Legislation in Congress would fund half of the estimated $12 billion in backlogged maintenance in the National Park System …

Thousands of stream miles and wetlands could lose Clean Water Act protections under an EPA proposal to change the Waters of the United States rule. (Samuel Taylor for Birth Place of Rivers)

Comment Period Closing on Clean Water Act Rollback

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Today is the deadline for public comment on a plan to reduce the reach of the Clean Water Act. The Environmental Protect …

Gauley River National Recreation Area is one of the West Virginia spots that has used the Land and Water Conservation Fund. (WikimediaCommons)

Vote Planned to Permanently Authorize Public-Lands Program

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Congress could vote this week for final approval of a package of public lands bills that includes permanently reauthorizing …

EQT's proposed Hammerhead Pipeline would originate in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania before crossing Marion, Monongalia and Wetzel counties in West Virginia. (EQT)

Landslide, Rupture Issues Raise Problems for Gas Pipeline Permit

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – A gas pipeline rupture and explosion last summer is raising related worries about a current pipeline proposal. Last June…

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke reduced regulations on surface mines before being forced out last week. (U.S. Dept. of Interior/Wikipedia)<br /><br />

Conservationists Have Small Hopes for Change at Interior Dept.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Conservation groups welcome the departure of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, saying it could take years to reverse the …

Public forestland such as Cranberry Glades is central to West Virginia's identity. (Mike Costello)

Election Called Good News For WV Federal Public Land Protections

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With the elections over and deer hunters returning to West Virginia's woods, conservationists are looking forward to better …

The steep hillsides of Appalachia present serious challenges for building big gas pipelines. (Dominion Pipeline Monitoring Coalition)

WV Groups Sue Pipeline Companies for "Abuse" of Permitting Process

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Clean water groups say getting a single, general permit to cover work at hundreds of separate sites by gas pipeline …

Much of West Virginia's self image is defined by its connection to the state's wilderness. But a new voting scorecard shows record opposition to conservation legislation. (Chad Cordell)

Almost Half of Legislature Voted Against Every Conservation Proposal

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A voting scorecard by the West Virginia Sierra Club shows record levels of opposition to conservation measures by state …

The Land and Water Conservation Fund has helped protect iconic West Virginia sites like Seneca Rocks. (MrShultz/Wikipedia)<br />

Fund that Helps Protect Iconic WV Sites is in Question

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Congress has three months to renew what's described as a vital - but largely invisible - program for conserving special …

Initial research found higher levels of cancer and birth defects in residents around surface mines, but a broad federal study to follow up on those problems was canceled. (Vivian Stockman/Southwings)

Emails Suggest Political Interference in Feds Ending Mining-Health Study

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – New evidence suggests political pressure had a role in the U.S. Department of the Interior's sudden cancellation of a …

Folks who want to resupply a protester blocking the Mountain Valley Pipeline say the Forest Service is keeping them 125 feet from the tall pole she occupies. (Appalachians Against Pipelines)

MVP Protester “Living on Energy Bars and Rainwater”

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – After a month-and-a-half of pole-sitting on Peter's Mountain, a protester blocking progress of the Mountain Valley …

"Tree Sitters" Stall MVP Pipeline

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — “Tree sitters" are stalling construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Members of the group Appalachians Against …

The outdoor recreation industry says public lands are key to West Virginia's economic future.<br />(Birthplace of Rivers/Sam Taylor)

Manchin Non-Committal On Trump Public Lands Agenda

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – With the Trump administration shrinking national monuments out West, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., remains evasive about the …

The only true old-growth forest in the West Virginia state park system is in Cathedral State Park. (West Virginia State Parks)

Former Administrator: State Park Logging Plan Numbers Don’t Add Up

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The numbers in a plan to log West Virginia state parks don't add up, according to a retired forester and administrator…

According to Duke University researchers, even after it's been treated, oil and gas wastewater will leave radioactive deposits when released into the surface water. (Avner Vengosh)

Study: Treated Oil, Gas Wastewater Leaves Radioactive Contamination

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Over time, treated oil and gas wastewater is leaving radioactive deposits in the stream beds where it is released, …

Veterans, including West Virginia's Matt Kearns, are calling on another vet, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, to protect public lands. (Chad Cordell)

Vets Petition Trump, Interior To Protect Public Lands

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Twelve hundred veterans - more than 1,000 of them former officers - are calling on the White House to better protect …

Wildfires and the cost of fighting them often are considered a western problem, but 14 people died in a 2016 fire in the Great Smoky Mountains. (National Park Service)

Even in East, Wildfires Straining Forest Service Budget

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – More and bigger wildfires – even in the East – are burning through the budget of the U.S. Forest Service…

Conservationists say they're worried about what a huge gas pipeline would do to the Appalachian Trail. (Appalachian Trail Conservancy/Benjamin Sentz)

MVP Impacts on Appalachian Trail Cited

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – A new report details the impacts a huge natural gas pipeline would have on the Appalachian Trail, and some of America's …

Outdoor business like Water Stone Outdoors in Fayetteville represent tens of thousands of jobs and billions in economic activity for West Virginia. (Kenny Parker)

Outdoor Recreation in WV: 90,000 Jobs, $9 Billion Economic Activity

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Outdoor recreation means 90,000 jobs and $9 billion in consumer spending for West Virginia, according to a new report…

Critics say new pipelines from the Marcellus fields are unjustified by federal estimates of demand for gas. (Dominion Pipeline Monitoring Coalition)

Challenges to Pipelines Continue Past FERC

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – With federal regulators likely to approve two huge gas pipelines, opponents are looking to the states and courts. The …

The Trump administration is starting the process of unwinding an Obama wetlands rule. (Trout Unlimited)

White House Rollback Of Clean Water Rule Draws Criticism

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Trump administration is starting the formal process of rolling back the Clean Water Rule. Conservationists say that …

The American Society of Foresters recognized the Gaudineer Scenic Area in 1983 for its

Group Aims to Find, Protect Older Forests in WV, Nation

HUNTINGTON, W. Va. – A conservation group wants to designate an old-growth forest in every county in the United States that has forestland - …

Natural gas worth hundreds of millions of dollars is vented or flared from federal land each year. (FracTracker Alliance)

Vets Lobby WV Senators Against Wasting Natural Gas on Public Lands

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A rollback of a rule against the flaring of waste gas on public land is up before the U.S. Senate. A group of military …

Trump administration moves that could undermine the naming of national monuments might affect West Virginia's push for a Birthplace of Rivers monument. (Samuel Taylor/Birthplace of Rivers)

Possible Public-Lands Rollback Sparks Suspicion in WV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginians are likely to react with suspicion to Trump administration moves toward rolling back the national monuments …

Angie Rosser, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, says ordinary folks are going to have to get involved if they want lawmakers to protect water quality. (Dan Heyman)

Critics: WV Water Legislation Leaves Out Voice of People

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Community groups are harshly criticizing legislation they say would hurt West Virginia streams and drinking water…

Critics of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline say its path is dangerously prone to landslides. (Malcolm Cameron/the Dominion Pipeline Monitoring Coalition)

Pipeline Path Called "Landslide Prone"; Feds "Ignore Risks"

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Federal regulators are taking a favorable view of the huge Atlantic Coast Pipeline. But research by a citizen group has found …

A draft environmental impact statement on the Mountain Valley Pipeline is drawing fire as incomplete. (Marcellus.org)

Draft Pipeline Report Criticized as Incomplete, Insufficient

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Some government agencies and citizens groups are criticizing a draft study by federal regulators of a huge gas pipeline …

Critics say the agency that regulates natural-gas pipelines has a favorable bias toward the industry. (MarcellusPipeline.org)

Pipeline Regulator Accused of Bias, Being Too Close to Industry

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – A spate of proposed gas pipeline projects has drawn sharp criticism from environmental advocates, who say the federal …

Tourists bike on the Williams River Road after flood damage repairs. Supporters of a new Birthplace of Rivers National Monument say it should help the area recover from this summer's storms. (Matt Kearns)

Could Birthplace of Rivers Help Richwood Recover from Floods?

RICHWOOD, W. Va. – A new Birthplace of Rivers National Monument could help Richwood recover from this summer's devastating floods, according to …

Despite public protests, several huge gas pipelines are moving through the regulatory process. Critics say that's bad news for consumers. (Chesapeake Climate Action Network/Flickr)

Critics Say Unnecessary Pipelines Will Cost WV Consumers

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Huge gas pipelines now seeking approval aren't needed but will make utility rates spike, according to their critics. Federal …

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WV: Public Lands/Wilderness