Join the “Go North” Corridor H Coalition

The Division of Highway’s proposed final route for the Corridor H Highway is the so-called “Canyon Route” between Parsons and Davis which would construct a massive concrete overpass with numerous exit ramps between the historic towns of Davis and Thomas. It would cross over the North Fork of the Blackwater Canyon, be visible from Pendleton […]

2022 Candidate Endorsements

Conservation West Virginia is pleased to announce the candidates we endorse for the West Virginia House of Delegates and Senate in November’s statewide election. We focused on nineteen races throughout the Eastern third of the state. To make our endorsement decisions we collected candidate biographical information, reviewed their public statements, surveyed their views on conservation […]

Environmental Groups Meet at West Virginia Summit

Representatives from a dozen West Virginia environmental groups convened in Morgantown on September 24 and 25, 2022 for a discussion of the proper strategy for the movement over the next few years. The Summit was convened by the West Virginia Environmental Council. The keynote speaker was the nationally known climate advocate Mary Anne Hitt, a […]

2022 Environmental Summit

September 24 and 25: The 2022 Environmental Summit will bring together local and state environmental organizations in West Virginia to facilitate conversation around the opportunities and challenges facing the state’s environmental movement.

Conservation West Virginia Supports Rep. David McKinley in the May 10 Republican Primary

Because of population loss, West Virginia’s three Congressional districts have been consolidated into two. The new 2nd District covers roughly the northern half of the state and pits two incumbent Republican Congressmen against one another in the primary on May 10.  David McKinley, from Wheeling, is the sitting Congressman from the old 1st District. Alex […]

West Virginia’s Supreme Court Case Could Undermine Climate Policy

As if we need more to worry about, an anticipated United States Supreme Court ruling in West Virginia vs. the Environmental Protection Agency may permanently alter the ability of that agency to regulate climate change. This case on which oral arguments were heard on February 28, 2022, had its genesis in the Clean Power Plan […]

2022 Legislative Recap: One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

The West Virginia Legislature ended its 2022 regular session at midnight March 12, 2022. Altogether, the Legislature passed 293 bills. Sixty-two bills introduced were energy or environment related. Only 8 of them passed. Some of the unsuccessful bills we opposed.  Many more we supported. Energy Policy  There was a lot of long-range thinking about the […]

Mountain Valley Pipeline Dealt Two Blows By U.S. Court of Appeals

In an effort to capitalize on the natural gas contained in the Utica and Marcellus shale formations in West Virginia, Equitrans Midstream Corp. is constructing the Mountain Valley Pipeline running through eleven West Virginia counties and Southeastern Virginia.  Equitrans and the pipeline’s other owners hope to provide up to 2 billion cubic feet of gas […]

Industry Wins Again at the Legislature: Water Quality Standards Weakened

Changes sought by industry to the DEP rules regarding water quality standards for human consumption  were passed by the Legislature on February 10.  The DEP incorporated the changes into the proposed rules as “a compromise” between the views of industry and environmental groups, but the measure was opposed strongly by West Virginia Rivers, the chief […]

WV House Passes Program to Regulate Geothermal Energy

In response to a research project being conducted at West Virginia University, the House of Delegates passed HB 4098 on February 10, 2022.  This bill sets up a regulatory structure for geothermal energy in the state.  Geothermal energy is the Earth’s heat reached by drilling wells several miles deep.  WVU has acquired a $7.25 million […]