American Whitewater
1424 Fenwick Lane
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301.589.9453 Ph
301.565-6714 Fax
www.americanwhitewater.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 27, 2003
CONTACT:
Risa Shimoda (301) 589-9453 risa@amwhitewater.org
Kevin Colburn (828) 252-6482 kevin@amwhitewater.org
Upper Ocoee Likely to Flow Thanks to AW, Outfitters, Congressman Wamp and TVA
DUCKTOWN, TN — The Tennessee Valley Authority has announced their offer to release water on the Upper Ocoee River for 20 days of recreation this year. Likely to be accepted by the Ocoee River Outfitters, it represents a milestone in the history of river recreation and its role as a contributor to regional economic development.
“We applaud TVA’s decision to implement a responsible short-term solution,” notes Kevin Colburn, American Whitewater Conservation and Access Associate, “with a proposal that begins a path to the development of a responsible, long-term solution for Ocoee River stakeholders in the context of economic development.”
“The TVA’s recommended outfitter fee — $4.00 per customer — represents a significant reduction in fee for trips on the Upper Ocoee,” notes Larry Mashburn, owner of the Ocoee Adventure Center and representative for outfitters and local business owners. “It will enable us to look to a bright future for rafting on this section.”
American Whitewater’s seven-year effort to secure releases on the Upper Ocoee culminated in a large-scale outreach effort at the October 2002 Teva National Freestyle Kayaking Championships, held on the last planned releases on the Upper Ocoee River. This effort resulted in concerned citizens signing over a thousand letters that were sent to the TVA requesting releases, as well as comprehensive regional media coverage and a national outcry in the paddlesports and outdoor industry consumer and trade press. Subsequently, the Ocoee Outfitters Association stepped up their lobbying efforts and as a result, Congressman Zach Wamp has taken a strong leadership role in the effort to support the reinstitution of river releases.
American Whitewater is proud that our vision has now become the vision of the Ocoee Region, and that TVA is now working with us to make that vision a reality. Our goal has not changed: 74 free annual releases on the Upper Ocoee River. We will be working within the “Kitchen Cabinet” (a new collaborative between the TVA, Paddlers, Outfitters, the US-Forest Service, and local and regional governments) as well as a member of the Public Review Group for TVA’s “Reservoir Operations Study,” to meet that goal in 2004.
For more information, contact Risa Shimoda (301) 589-9453 risa@amwhitewater.org or Kevin Colburn (828) 252-6482 kevin@amwhitewater.org.