by Mary Eiserman | Apr 23, 2025 | Citizens Information Forum, Friends of Nelson
Join us for the first Nelson County Citizens Information Forum
Understanding Electricity Generation and Demand in our County
Wednesday, April 30th 6-7:30pm
at the Nelson Center in Lovingston
Learn from experts about current and projected energy demand and generation,
where and how energy gets to us in Nelson County, financial impacts, environmental impacts, and an update of current legislation.
Questions for panelists will be collected from attendees during the first half of the event.
We will be joined by CVEC president Gary Wood, and Attorneys Josephus Allond and Elizabeth Putfark from SELC.
A diverse group of speakers will round out a panel for discussion.
Representatives from CVEC and Appalachian Power will be present with information and resources for customers.
If you would like to participate in this forum from afar, please email questions to friendsofnelson@gmail.com
A recording of the discussion will be available following the event on our website.
We look forward to learning together!
by Mary Eiserman | Mar 3, 2025 | Friends of Nelson
Three organizations – Brown University, Internews (a California-based nonprofit that supports independent media), and Press Forward (a grant-making organization that supports local news media) – have joined together to devise a measurement tool called the Civic Information Index. Using 21 data points, the Index gives every county and independent city in the U.S. a “civic health” score.
The Index – Civic Information Index
The numerous data sets used to determine the scores include such items as the percentage of households with access to broadband, number of library visits, access to health care, voter turn-out, charitable giving, life expectancy, poverty rate, and the number of news outlets in each county.
You can zoom in on any county for the score.
Here are the scores for Nelson on a scale of 0 – 100.
Overall Index percentile: 68
News and Information percentile: 46
Civic Participation percentile: 58
Equity and Justice percentile: 90
Health and Opportunity percentile: 75
by Mary Eiserman | May 14, 2024 | Events, Friends of Nelson, Mountain Valley Pipeline
Join Friends of Nelson at the Blue Mountain Barrel House on Saturday, June 15th, to celebrate the anniversary of the cancellation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and support the ongoing fight against the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Author and journalist Jon Mingle will share a reading from his new book ‘Gaslight, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the Fight for America’s Energy Future. Food and Beverages from Blue Mountain will be available on-site.
Speakers from the Legal Defense Fund for the ongoing battle against the Mountain Valley Pipeline and Music will follow.
The event is free and open to the public.
All proceeds from book and t-shirt sales will benefit the MVP Legal Defense Fund.
by Mary Eiserman | Jan 4, 2023 | Dominion, Easement Agreements, Eminent Domain, Friends of Nelson
Happy new year! We are pleased to share with you this article in the Nelson County Times recently about the return of landowner easements on the canceled Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
Dominion Energy has agreed to return all easements to landowners. Landowners will keep all compensation.
For two and a half years the Niskanen Center, along with Joyce Burton (landowner liaison for Friends of Nelson) helped to turn this tide. This effort included a year-long partnership with Senator Tim Kaine’s office.
If you are a landowner on the canceled ACP route and want an expedited release (for example if you have plans for the property or you want to sell) please see the link below to contact the land agent in your area.
Virginia ACP Land Supervisor counties of Augusta, Bath, Buckingham, Cumberland, Highland, Nelson, and Prince Edward contact:
Dave Aman
540-943-9396
David.W.Aman@DominionEnergy.com
Please note that your land agent may be different than the one you initially worked with. For all counties on the ACP route see the link here for your land agent.
https://atlanticcoastpipeline.com/resources/docs/landowners/acp.fs.landownercontactinfo_july2020_v2%20(004).pdf
Together we are stronger!
by Mary Eiserman | Sep 2, 2022 | Events, Friends of Nelson
Come catch up with Friends of Nelson and enjoy a unique screening of a video from our Lessons Learned Project!
The Lessons Learned Project is a video interview documentary, and associated publication, of Nelson County citizens on the fight against the Atlantic coast pipeline. It highlights the lessons learned through our organization and the ensuing battle to victory and is meant to be available as a resource for other groups.

Please join us at 7pm on the evening of October 1st. 2022 at the Rockfish Valley Community Center.
Refreshments will be available.
Help us gauge attendance by registering at the link below;
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/friends-of-nelson-lessons-learned-release-party-tickets-405015039887