Strategic Mitigation Delivers Lasting Conservation Outcomes in Pennsylvania

Client: Williams / Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company (Transco)
Location: Wyoming County, Pennsylvania
Acreage Protected: 6,600 acres
Mitigation Vehicle: Atlantic Sunrise Voluntary Mitigation Fund

The Challenge

The Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline — a nearly $3 billion expansion of Williams/Transco’s existing natural gas infrastructure — was designed to connect abundant Marcellus Shale gas supplies to markets across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. As with any major linear infrastructure project, Atlantic Sunrise required careful planning to minimize environmental impacts and address permitting requirements related to upland forest habitat, migratory birds, and Indiana bat habitat.

Williams/Transco worked closely with permitting agencies throughout the planning and construction process to reduce impacts where possible — and recognized the opportunity to go further through a voluntary mitigation strategy that could deliver meaningful, durable conservation outcomes.

The Solution

In 2017, Williams/Transco partnered with The Conservation Fund through a Conservation Implementation Agreement (CIA) to manage and deploy $11.27 million in voluntary mitigation funds associated with the Atlantic Sunrise Project. The agreement established a clear, transparent framework for identifying, executing, and stewarding mitigation projects aligned with regulatory expectations and regional conservation priorities.

The Conservation Fund worked collaboratively with Williams/Transco to identify high-value projects capable of offsetting impacts to forest and bat habitat while also delivering broader watershed and landscape-scale benefits. This strategic approach allowed mitigation funds to be deployed efficiently, responsibly, and at scale.

The Results

Through the Atlantic Sunrise Voluntary Mitigation Fund, The Conservation Fund completed nine mitigation projects across Pennsylvania, permanently protecting and restoring more than 6,600 acres of priority conservation land. Importantly, The Conservation Fund leveraged an additional $13 million in complementary partner funding, significantly amplifying the impact of Williams/Transco’s original investment.

The Miller Mountain project — located less than two miles from the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline corridor — marked the final and largest project completed under the voluntary mitigation effort. The project permanently protects 2,500 acres of upland forest habitat, safeguards headwater streams within the Susquehanna River watershed, and preserves the viewshed of a 2,216-foot peak believed to be the last remaining undeveloped mountain of its size in Pennsylvania.

Following acquisition, The Conservation Fund transferred the property to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for inclusion in the Pinchot State Forest, creating Wyoming County’s first state forest unit and ensuring long-term public stewardship.

Why It Matters for Industry

The Atlantic Sunrise mitigation program demonstrates how early collaboration, clear agreements, and experienced implementation partners can transform mitigation obligations into high-impact conservation outcomes. By working with The Conservation Fund, Williams/Transco was able to:

• Streamline mitigation implementation through a single, trusted partner
• Deliver measurable, permanent habitat protection aligned with regulatory goals
• Leverage private mitigation dollars to unlock additional conservation funding
• Reduce long-term risk through durable land protection and public ownership

For infrastructure and energy companies navigating complex permitting landscapes, this project underscores the value of strategic, voluntary mitigation — and the role The Conservation Fund can play in delivering conservation solutions that work for both business and the environment.