American Whitewater’s Chattooga Headwaters Access Proposal.
American Whitewater & the Forest Service.
RUSH — VIA TELECOPY 864-638-2659
Mr. Mike Crane
USDA Forest Service
112 Andrew Pickens Circle
Mountain Rest, SC 29664
mcrane@fs.fed.us
Re: Wild and Scenic Chattooga River – Pending EA for Amendment 14
Mr. Crane,
I am a private whitewater boater and I support American Whitewater. I officially request that you include an alternative in the upcoming Chattooga River Environmental Assessment that:
(A) Allows private, non-commercial boating on the Chattooga River above highway 28;
(B) Limits proposed increases in commercial use if it is at the expense of the public’s non-commercial access;
(C) Makes water quality a management priority throughout the Chattooga watershed; and
(D) Includes language that allows private boating use to increase over time with increased demand.
These four requests are more than reasonable, apply to a large public constituency, and are completely consistent with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and current US Forest Service regulations regarding management of the Chattooga River. Furthermore floating above Highway 28 was originally intended by the 1971 Chattooga Wild and Scenic River Study Document.
NEPA requires that the agency develop a “range of alternatives that responds to public needs.” You have received hundreds of comments from private boaters like me regarding these issues. I believe that a management plan that addresses the four needs listed above will improve the conditions of the Chattooga River and will allow the public to benefit from using resources they are entitled to use.
Exclusive use of a public resource by a particular group at the expense of another, in the case of fishing on the headwaters and proposed commercial rafting increases on the lower sections is inconsistent with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and US Forest Service management policies in general. Activities that damage and degrade the resources, such as pollution from Stekoa Creek, are clearly in violation of Federal Law and are not consistent with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
As the lead agency responsible for management of the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River it is clearly your responsibility to respond to public requests and take actions necessary to “protect and enhance” the quality of the Chattooga River. An alternative that addresses the four items above does both.
Please include my name on your mailing list to be notified of agency plans that may affect the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River.
Sincerely,
Name: __________________________________
Address:________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Phone:___________________________________
Email:___________________________________
cc:
Jerome Thomas, Forest Supervisor
(via fax 803-561-4004)
Donald Kinser, American Whitewater Regional Coordinator
(via fax 770-956-7003)