Assessing Future Energy Development across the Appalachian LCC used models that combined data on energy development trends and identified where these may intersect with important natural resource and ecosystem services to give a more comprehensive picture of what potential energy development could look like in the Appalachians. Ultimately this information is intended to support dialogue and conservation on how to effectively avoid, minimize, and offset impacts from energy development to important natural areas and the valuable services they provide.
A final report from the study outlines the major findings of the potential footprint from coal, wind, and natural gas development. Models that depicts the probability of coal, shale gas, and wind energy development across the Appalachian LCC are completed. Coal scenarios were developed across the entire LCC range while Shale Gas and Wind development scenarios were completed across a subset of the LCC study area for the Marcellus and Utica Shale Plays. Data from these models were incorporated into a web-based mapping tool that allows policy makers, land management agencies, industries, and others to see where development may likely occur and intersect with important natural values to inform regional landscape planning decisions.
