American Whitewater sent the following letter to Representative Rahall on September 18, 2002. The following day, Access Director Jason Robertson met with Superintendent Cal Hite and the Park Service’s land team to discuss the elements of the letter. We are not waiting to schedule a meeting with Representative Rahall to personally ask for his assistance. While we have learned that the issue is more complex than a simple disagreement over appraised value, that remains the substantial hurdle to acquisition.
Nick Rahall II
(202) 225-3452
(202) 225-9061 (fax)
2307
Dear RepresentativeRahall,
Six years ago, in1996, you sought to help the whitewater community by sponsoring legislation thatrequired the National Park Service to acquire a river access point for thepublic on West Virginia’s Gauley River. Thelegislation passed, but in the intervening years, the Park Service has made noapparent progress on meeting your required terms. Weseek your help in facilitating rapid, permanent, public (non-commercial) accessto the
The landowner wants tosell the property. The Park Servicewants to buy the property and has funding available. Our understanding of theproblem is that the Park Service is using a radically undervalued appraisal tosupport their offer to purchase the property. No progress can be made until the two parties can agree on a sale price. This is where we need your help:
- The park needs to be directed to purchase the property at the fair market value for a popular and essential river access point (the landowner’s asking price), or
- The landowners need to be asked to be more flexible on the price, perhaps with some notable compensation in return, or
- Another public access point needs to be identified, acquired, and developed which would serve the same purpose as the Woods Ferry point as a put-in for the Lower Gauley and a take-out for the Upper Gauley.
The firstoption is most palatable to the local community, the landowner, and thepaddling community as it is likely to be the fastest, most painless, and leastcontroversial.
Theneed for this access has only increased since your legislation was passed. This legislation was unequivocal; itdirected:
In order to facilitate public safety, use, andenjoyment of the [Gauley River National] recreation area, and to protect, tothe maximum extent feasible, the scenic and natural resources of the area, the[National Park Service] is authorized and directed to acquire such lands orinterests in lands and to take such actions as are necessary to provide accessby noncommercial entities on the north side of the Gauley River at the areaknown as Woods Ferry utilizing existing roads and rights-of-way… [U]ntil there is compliance with this paragraph the Secretaryis prohibited from acquiring or developing any other river access points withinthe recreation area.
Thelack of good public access negatively impacts the economic potential of theregion, reduces the effectiveness of emergency workers, reduces the long-termviability of the National Recreation Area, and diminishes the visitorexperience.
Overthe past decade, American Whitewater has leased a field on Mason Branch (AKA
- The agreement is unwritten, and the landowner will not commit to a signed lease.
- The landowner has received multiple offers to sell their land in recent years.
- There is a potential for several inheritance claims within the landowner’s family.
- American Whitewater’s management of the site is not at a financial and liability level we can maintain; nor can we afford to enforce the few rules required of visitors.
- The Park Service has no authority to manage or control use on the site, and that permission is not forthcoming from the landowner;
- Visitors must trespass on private property at the river’s edge in order to get to the leased field. Thus far that trespass has been with permission of the affected landowners; but a single landowner could change their mind and effectively close access to the field on a whim. This action would apply all access pressures several miles downstream at the overcrowded Bucklick site, which has severely limited parking. Vehicle crowding at this Bucklick site in 2000 hampered the body recovery efforts of a pinned kayaker.
- The 1-mile hike from the riverside to the field is steep, difficult and very treacherous on an unimproved trail along Mason Branch.
- Neither AW volunteers nor the Park can officially improve the access trail for liability reasons without the permission of the various landowners, which we have sought, but have not been able to obtain.
The situation is so tenuous that the Park (
At this time, the only public river accesssite is at the Tailwaters site, at the base of theSummersville Dam. Once launched, there are no public areas available fortake-out: boaters must use privately-owned sites. These areas are primarilyowned by commercial river outfitters. TO AVOID TRESPASSING, it is recommendedthat boaters contact the American Whitewater Affiliation (AWA) about currentarrangements for taking out at Mason Branch, Bucklickand Swiss… AWA also rents a field near Mason Branch for vehicle parking. In theSwiss area, local landowners charge a small fee to park in their fields.
The loss of public access to theMason Branch field would create a chaotic and potentially dangerous situationfor visitors as they seek out new access and parking points throughout theriver corridor. Additionally, thisprospective loss of Mason Branch without access opportunity at Woods Ferry wouldresult in displacing touring visitors from the Gauley Region and associated lostrevenue to the county and Summersville area. As you are aware, the
AmericanWhitewater’s understanding is that the negotiations over the sale of the WoodsFerry property are bogged down due to differences over the appraised value anduse of the property. Though the ParkService has funding available, they can not acquire the land at the appraisedvalue determined by the landowner. Pleasework with American Whitewater, the Park Service, and the landowner to clearthis bureaucratic log jam so that we, the people, can realize the fullrecreation potential of this National Recreation Area.
Iwould appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further with you or your staff,and can be reached at 301-502-4610 to schedule an appointment.
Sincerely,
Jason D.Robertson
Access Director
AmericanWhitewater
CC:
CC List toRep. Rahall
Sen.Robert Byrd
311 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-4801
(202) 224-3954
Sen.Robert Byrd (District Office)
Sen. John Rockefeller IV
531 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-4802
(202) 224-6472
Sen. John Rockefeller IV (DistrictOffice)
Mac
AW Board Ret.
6467 Wishbone Terrace
Cabin
Class VI, Dave Arnold
304-574-0704
304-574-4906 fax
Superintendent Calvin Hite
P.O. Box 246
Glen
(304) 465-0508
Appalachian Wildwaters, Imre Szilagyi 800.624.8060
Fax: 304.454.2472
imreszil@aol.com
West Virginia RiversCoalition
Office: (304) 637-7201
Fax: (304) 637-4084
Don Beyer, President
Turner Sharp, Treasurer