U.S. Forest Service Story Archives - Page 3 of 3 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

U.S. Forest Service OKs Pipeline Surveying in George Washington National Forest

The U.S. Forest Service is issuing a permit to survey a 12.6-mile segment of the George Washington National Forest for the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline in Highland and Augusta counties, in Virginia.

The Forest Service said in a news release that temporary special use surveys for wetlands, water, soil, and suitable habitat for sensitive species, including federally listed threatened and endangered plants and animals will be conducted within the next year. Surveys also will record cultural resources and invasive species.

“The information gathered from these surveys is needed for federal agencies to make informed decisions on whether or not to allow construction and operation of the proposed natural gas pipeline, and if allowed, to avoid, or reduce the impacts to sensitive resources,” Forest Supervisor Tom Speaks said in the release.

He said many of the 7,400 comments the Forest Service received on the survey permit related to concerns about the construction and operation of the proposed pipeline, rather than the surveys.

“It is important to remember that allowing these survey activities does not mean we are allowing the construction of a pipeline,” Speaks said. He said the Forest Service has not received any more requests for surveying National Forest System lands for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline is a proposed 550-mile long line that would carry natural gas from Harrison County, W.Va., through Virginia to North Carolina.

The pipeline would be 42 inches in diameter and require a 125-foot construction easement and a 75-foot permanent easement.

Public Meetings

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), as the lead federal agency, is holding public meetings and soliciting comments on the construction of the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

Public meetings are scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, March 23, at Elkins High School and 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, at Bridgeport High School.

Gas company Dominion, which is building the pipeline, is holding an open-house meeting from noon-2 p.m. on Monday, March 23, at the Gandy Dancer Conference Center, 359 Beverly Pike, in Elkins.

U.S. Forest Service Extends Comment Period on Mountain Valley Pipeline

The U.S. Forest Service extended the comment period on whether portions of the Jefferson National Forest can be surveyed for a possible pipeline route.

A special-use permit would be required before surveying could be done in the national forest for the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline.

The Forest Service’s original deadline for comments was Feb. 13. Comments will now be taken until April 2.

The deadline extension is in response to a new permit application filed March 4 by Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC. Mountain Valley filed the new application because new routes it is considering for the pipeline would cross sections of the forest not covered in previous survey applications.

Forest Service Staff Officer Ken Landgraf said there’s no need to resubmit comments on the previous survey application as those comments are still being considered. He said new comments on the old survey application also will be accepted until April 2.

The Mountain Valley Pipeline company wants to survey new sections of the Jefferson National Forest in Monroe County, W.Va., and three counties in Virginia.

In February, a group of concerned citizens from Monroe County hand-delivered almost 800 letters of protest about the pipeline survey application to the Forest Service’s office in Virginia.

The proposed pipeline would carry natural gas from Wetzel County, West Virginia, to another pipeline in Pittsylvania County, in Virginia.

You can file a comment about Mountain Valley’s survey application by mail, email or fax:
Email: comments-southern-georgewashington-jefferson@fs.fed.us
Fax: (540) 265-5145
Mail or hand deliver: USDA Forest Service, Mountain Valley Pipeline Survey Comments, 5162 Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke, VA 24019

W.Va. Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Gov Money

A former U.S. Forest Service employee faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing government money.

U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld II says 41-year-old Kwaku A. Akomah of Fairmont also faces a fine of up to $250,000.

Ihlenfeld says Akomah made unauthorized personal purchases with government funds, including buying more than $1,000 in gas for his personal vehicle. An investigation by the Forest Service revealed the purchases.

Akomah pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of theft of government money.

Atlantic Coast Pipeline Public Comment Period Ends Friday

Friday is the last day to comment on whether surveys for a proposed natural gas pipeline should be allowed in the Monongahela National Forest.The proposed…

Friday is the last day to comment on whether surveys for a proposed natural gas pipeline should be allowed in the Monongahela National Forest.

The proposed 550-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline would run through West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. Its path includes about 17 miles through the national forest in Pocahontas and Randolph counties in West Virginia.

The U.S. Forest Service says the project’s developers are seeking a special use permit to conduct environmental surveys in the forest. The surveys would include wetlands, water, soil and habitat suitable for sensitive species.

The public comment runs through Friday, February 13.

Comment Sought on Pipeline Surveys in Monongahela Forest

Federal officials are seeking the public's input on whether surveys for a proposed natural gas pipeline should be allowed in the Monongahela National…

Federal officials are seeking the public’s input on whether surveys for a proposed natural gas pipeline should be allowed in the Monongahela National Forest.

The U.S. Forest Service says in a news release that the project’s developers are seeking a special use permit to conduct environmental surveys in the forest. The surveys would include wetlands, water, soil and habitat suitable for sensitive species.

The public comment runs through Feb. 13.

The pipeline is a joint venture between Dominion Resources, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas and AGL Resources.

Timber County Payments Down After Subsidy Expires

West Virginia and 40 other states are losing money after Congress ended subsidies to counties that contain national forest land.

Agriculture officials announced Thursday that the U.S. Forest Service is distributing more than $50 million to 746 timber counties nationwide. That’s compared with about $300 million during the final year of the Secure Rural Schools subsidies program.

West Virginia is set to receive about $282,000 this year, down from about $1.97 million last year.

For decades, the Forest Service has paid a quarter of its logging revenues to counties with forest land to be used for roads and schools. About 20 years ago, with logging being reduced to protect the spotted owl and salmon, Congress began approving the subsidies.

Efforts to renew the subsidies died in Congress last month.