Come celebrate and defend the Yough! YOU are invited to the Youghiogheny Defense Party!
This event benefits the Yough Defense Fund of the Mountain Watershed Association. Proceeds will help cover legal expenses incurred in challenging the proposed Curry Mine.
Date: Thursday November 18, 2010
Place: Falls City Pub (Wilderness Voyageurs) in Ohiopyle
Time: 5pm Doors Open (drinks available)
6pm Food starts (heavy Hors d’oeuvres)
7pm Music (short sets) and events start
Party is open to the public ! It is not necessary to RSVP, but it will help us prepare so if you can, RSVP by emailing keng4rivers@gmail.com or find MWA on Facebook (search for Mountain Watershed Association) to let us know that you’re coming to support the Yough!
Curry Mine Background Information:
One year later and not much has changed, though action is expected on the zoning appeal before the end of the year and costs are expected to continue to rise….
The Curry Mine project is a large proposed strip mine along the banks of the Youghiogheny River just below the southern border of Ohiopyle State Park and adjacent to the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail. This proposed mine could potentially have a huge impact on the Yough and two of its tributaries. The Fayette County Zoning Board denied Amerikohl’s request for a zoning variance, but now Amerikohl has appealed the Zoning Board’s decision. The coal company has also filed a revised application with the Department of Environmental Protection for a strip mining permit. To date legal expenses for defending for the Yough from this threat have cost over $11,000 and will only go up as the organization prepares for a decision on the appeal and the possible issuance of the DEP permit.
This is a winnable fight! We know this because the Zoning Board recognized the importance of protecting the crown jewel of the Laurel Highlands and Ohiopyle, and in a rare move, denied the variance due to the evidence of adverse impacts on the resource and public. The coal company may have deep pockets, but they can’t match a concerted congregation of passionate and motivated supporters of the great and beloved Youghiogheny! If you want to act, this organization is the key vehicle in the legal battle to do so, and your support is needed.
The Youghiogheny River is an exceptional resource and is incredibly valuable to our area. Public uses of the river include fishing, biking, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, birding, botanizing, to name a few. This rich resource dramatically enhances the quality of life, property value, tourism and economy of the Yough region. In fact, most people recognize the Yough as the cornerstone to the region’s natural beauty and allure, which drives the recreational and economic value for local and visiting public alike. Now, more than ever, the Yough needs true friends!!