The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) effort to designate metallurgical coal a “critical material” in the department’s 2026 Critical Materials Assessment relies on a flawed and insufficient process, as detailed in a letter signed by a dozen groups.

A gas plant is proposed near Davis and Thomas, WV—not for homes, but to power a massive data center complex. Sound familiar, Virginia? Data sprawl is spreading, and the public pays the price.

Comments due today by 5pm. Speak up: www.wvhighlands.org/2025/07/18/p...

A federal judge has cleared the way for our coalition's legal and administrative efforts to move forward — despite South Fork Coal’s bankruptcy. This ruling allows us to keep fighting illegal coal hauling through the Monongahela National Forest and demand accountability from federal agencies.

Last week, ABRA was on Capitol Hill with a nationwide group brought together by @sierraclub.org and @earthjustice.org to educate our lawmakers about the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA). It’s a giveaway to the timber industry under the guise of wildfire protection.

“For four years, this company has illegally operated within the Monongahela National Forest,” Willie Dodson, coal impacts program manager at @appvoices.org said in a news release.

"We have a responsibility to protect the Gauley and the lands that sustain it, not just for ourselves, but for every generation that follows.” - Olivia Miller @wvhighlands.bsky.social

Read the press release: appvoices.org/2025/04/16/g...

A bankrupt coal company with 113 violations was cited for dumping sludge into WV’s Gauley watershed. “We cannot let a handful of years of negligence threaten the future of this area,” said Tyler Cannon. Public lands aren’t coal waste sites.

Read more and take action ⤵️

South Fork Coal Company and its parent entities filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The move follows the company’s well-documented pattern of water pollution and mine clean-up violations, which have drawn mounting public scrutiny and legal actions.

@abralliance.bsky.social @wvhighlands.bsky.social.

“This reversal is a textbook example of regulatory capture,” said Andrew Young, staff attorney for the Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance. “The agency itself admitted that this road should not be used for unlawful coal hauling across the national forest." www.wvhighlands.org/2025/02/12/f...

New Layers Available: We've updated our Corridor H (Parsons to Davis) map with the latest Rusty Patched Bumble Bee High Probability Zone model. The current route for Corridor H bisects one of these crucial pollinator habitats. Check out the updated map. 🐝 bit.ly/CorridorHPar...

After a 15 year delay, these #hellbenders are *so* close to getting the Endangered Species Act safeguards they desperately need.

Please, join us in urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to finalize hellbenders' federal protection now ⬇️⬇️

Capitalizing on our success in defeating the Atlantic Coast Pipeline in 2020, ABRA’s Conservation Hub delivers mapping, data, and oversight to empower communities to protect the Allegheny-Blue Ridge Region. Follow us for updates—and let’s keep fighting to protect the environment.