Blackwater
Canyon
In 1998, Blackwater Canyon, one
of West Virginia’s premier attractions, was sold and is
currently being logged. At risk is not only incredible
natural beauty and recreational opportunities, but also
habitat for several endangered and threatened species.
What is your vision for protecting areas like Blackwater
Canyon from utter decimation by logging and construction?
In February of 1997, Allegheny Power
sold Blackwater Canyon to a developer, who immediately
turned around and sold the land to Allegheny Wood Products,
who began logging the area. Prior to the sale, visitors
and outdoor enthusiasts enjoyed free access to the canyon
and all of the enjoyments therein. Besides hiking and
camping, opportunities for white-water rafting, kayaking,
hunting, mountain biking, and bird watching abounded.
Despite their opinion that "the sale of the Blackwater
River Canyon may have significant environmental implications
for West Virginia," the Justices to whom the legality
of the sale was appealed did not turn back the agreement.
After this defeat, efforts began to make the area a National
Park, and this continues today. More than Blackwater
Canyon is at stake here. Out of the 10,000,000
acres of virgin forest that existed in the State of West
Virginia before 1750, only these 263 acres remain. It
is critical that West Virginia’s most natural and attractive
lands be protected from the negative effects of industries
so that they will remain to be enjoyed by future generations.
For
more information, contact www.wvhighlands.org/BWcampaign/index.html and http://www.patc.net/virg_fst.html
Clean Rivers
The upper Blackwater river received
much needed protection from pollution in this year’s state
legislative session, and protection is pending for the
lower Blackwater. If elected, what would you do to ensure
that these and other rivers in the state are protected
from the ever-increasing threats of industry pollution?
Industries along the upper Blackwater
River were pushing for a change in river designation from
a cold-water stream to a warm-water stream. This new
designation would permit them to dump more pollution into
the river than is allowed into a cold-water stream. Such
a change would have severely impacted the trout population
of the river, as they have a narrow range of temperatures
in which they can live. The Environmental Quality Board
denied this proposal, and at the same time drafted protective
measures for both the upper and lower Blackwater Rivers.
To maintain the beauty and recreational value of West
Virginia’s rivers, it is essential that polluters be kept
from altering the designations in order to benefit themselves.
For
more information, contact www.wvrivers.org/upperbwnewsflash.htm
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