Articles

Please distribute this to folks who might need to know about access on the New River. The report follows – Boaters New River Update for 7/25/01Private Boaters Access issues in the New River Gorge are improving! Due to the recent road access issues the National Park Service Will now offer a FREE Boater Shuttle When: Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays The weekend of: 7/28,29* to help us all through the road repair time *Many roads may be repaired by that time

Congress is currently considering re-authorization of Fee Demo on our public lands for four more years. They are considering this now even though they have not solicited public comment, though they are planning to hold hearings on the subject later in the Fall, and though the Government Accounting Office (GAO) will be releasing a report on the program in the Fall. Extension of the program at this time is precipitate and unjustifable without an open public review of the program.

JULY 25, 2001 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: RIVER ALERT —KENNEBEC SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT SIGNED !!! ACCESS FEES REMOVED!! On Tuesday July 24, 2001 Tom Christopher, Secretary / Director of New England FLOW and American Whitewater Board Member signed the Kennebec Settlement Agreement along with 26 other parties including state and federal agencies. After spending more than two years working together to develop a mitigation package which would protect the unique resources of the Kennebec River and balance the multiple uses of the

Congratulations! We’re on our way to successfully managing the Upper Yough Put-in at Sang Run. Our primary expense, toilet rental, was covered in 2001 and 2002! Additional donations will be used to improve and maintain access on the Yough. All donations go directly to American Whitewater (contrary to rumor, no funds go to the State).Since September 2000, American Whitewater’s volunteers have successfully: 1) 2000: built changing rooms at the Mountain Surf take-out in Friendsville, 2) 2000: built stairs to protect

American Whitewater has produced an advertisement to begin to educate the public about its mission in a big way. As in the Big Apple. A 60-second spot titled ‘Wet or Dry’ is now airing in New York’s Times Square on the 24′ x 36′ MediaVision screen, at 1540 Broadway The commercial depicts a dry river bed, quiet and lifeless, turning into a lively, colorful venue for paddlers and spectators on the banks, by the addition of … whitewater. The visuals

The USFS will accept faxed comments at 559.781.4744 through July 27th, 2001 If you’ve ever had the misfortune of applying for a permit to run the Forks of the Kern, you know what a royal pain the Forest Service’s mismanagement of this incredible river is. Boaters finally have the chance to do something about this by seeking to move the river management into the newly established Sequoia National Monument. American Whitewater’s letter (dated July 14, 2001) on the new plan

Put-in Closure on The Skykomish River By Meg LeeIn May 2001, American Whitewater estabished the Sky Access Fund to improve access to the river. Please help to improve access by making a donation. Fear overtook my whole body. Every muscle stiffened to the point of being unable to move. My head roared, amplifying the sound of the water so that it reverberated in my head as if it were an empty cavern. I focused on the house-sized boulders that blocked

14 July 2001   TO: Jim Whitfield GSNM Team Leader Sequoia National Forest 900 West Grand Avenue Porterville, CA 93257   FROM: Jason Robertson Access Director American Whitewater 1430 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD 90210 301-589-9453   Kern River Private Boaters C/o Keith Beck 2704 Laurel Avenue Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 310.546.2271   INTRODUCTION:   This letter is in response to the scoping letter (File code: 1920-2-1; 8 June 2001) concerning the proposed amendment to the Forest Land and Resource

DATE: July 14, 2001TIME: 11:00 am to 5:00 pmFLOW: 600 cfs DATE: August 11, 2001TIME: 11:00 am to 5:00 pmFLOW: 600 cfs GUESTS OF RHINELANDER PAPER MILL:Please remember that we are guests of the Rhinelander Paper Mill; please berespectful to all employees and their operations. Stay off all structuresincluding railroad bridges and catwalks. Do not enter any other areas ofthe mill. This is an operating mill and there will be large trucks drivingthrough the mill. Always stay to the side

West Virginia’s Whitewater Responsibility Act Note that this applies only to commercial whitewater clients and guides, and does not apply to private boaters.ARTICLE 3B. WHITEWATER RESPONSIBILITY ACT.§20-3B-1. Legislative purposes. Every year, in rapidly increasing numbers, the inhabitants of the state of West Virginia and nonresidents are enjoying the recreational value of West Virginia rivers and streams. The tourist trade is of vital importance to the state of West Virginia and the services offered by commercial whitewater outfitters and commercial whitewater

Hagerstown, MD (October 24, 2001) — American Whitewater’s Access Director Jason Robertson met with the Upper Potomac River Commission and Maryland Department of the Environment to plan for whitewater recreation on the Savage River.There was consensus among the parties to work together with the Army Corps and develop a procedure for forecasting releases at least 24-hours in advance and withholding water in order to provide notice of recreation flows when it would not threaten the dam’s integrity. There was also

Mr. Jim TaylorUpper Potomac River Commission (UPRC)528 Maryland AvenueWesternport, MD 21562June 19, 2001 Re: Meeting Congressional Obligations for Whitewater Releases on Maryland’s Savage River 2000 & 2001 Dear Mr. Taylor and UPRC Board,Thank you for the response from your agency through the Walsh law firm of May 4, 2001 regarding whitewater recreation on the Savage River. In the future, we respectfully suggest that the UPRC, as a public agency, should work directly with constituent groups such as ourselves to discharge

Summary: American Whitewater conducted a non-scientific survey of paddlers at the 2001 Potomac Whitewater Festival in Great Falls. We found that 97% would plan on visiting the Savage River if there were reliably scheduled releases. Paddlers indicated that they would prefer a month’s notice prior to the releases. Though 83% of the paddlers had heard of the Savage, only 26% had actually visited the river, and on average the last year of visit was 1995. 69% reported that the greatest

See the sample letter at the bottom of American Whitewater’s letter to the GovernorPARRIS N. GLENDENINGState HouseAnnapolis, MD 21401410-974-3901410-974-3275 (Fax)July 9, 2001governor@gov.state.md.usDear Governor Glendening,I am writing to you in on behalf of American Whitewater in my official capacity as Access Director. I am also a homeowner in Takoma Park, a registered voter in Montgomery County, and a Garrett County landowner. The issues that I am bringing to your attention are of great personal importance to me.I have attached letters from

American Whitewater Recreation Fee Policy American Whitewater supports the principle of free access to federal recreation lands. We believe in securing this access through adequate public funding for land, waterway, and habitat protection. Supportable funding sources may include tax revenues, special programs such as the land and water conservation fund, or nominal, non-discriminatory, and non-exclusionary fees. American Whitewater does not advocate for the complete elimination of all fees on public lands, but seeks to prevent fees-for-service, fees-for-access, full cost recovery,

For Immediate ReleaseSunday, July 01, 2001 Now is the time to act to gain legal boating access to the Chattooga Headwaters! Today marks the 25th anniversary of the boating ban on the Chattooga Headwaters. The policy banning boaters just does not make sense and it is time for whitewater boaters to enjoy the same legal access to this magnificent section of the Chattooga River that fishermen and hikers have enjoyed for decades.The closure of the Chattooga above Highway 28 was

Mr. Mike Crane, District RangerUSDA Forest ServiceAndrew Pickens Ranger District, Sumter National Forest112 Andrew Pickens CircleMountain Rest, SC 29664 RE: Private Boater Access in the Chattooga Headwaters Dear Mr. Crane,I am a whitewater boater and I support American Whitewater’s effort to gain legal boater access to the Chattooga Headwaters above Highway 28. The current prohibition on boating above Highway 28 has never made sense and should be eliminated.The closure of the Chattooga above Highway 28 was done without an open

Video of Scott Collins running Celestial Falls Before the Ban. Celestial Falls – Location: White River State Park – Oregon On June 28, 2001 a group of kayakers showed up to kayak Celestial Falls (StreamKeeper page). The campground host informed them that it had been made illegal. A sign was posted reading ” No kayaker Access.” A member of the group, Charlie Munsey, called the local ranger who repeated that the falls was illegal to kayak and suggested talking with

The Lancaster New Era reported on June 27, 2001 that Norfolk Southern had decided to close public access along 45 miles of the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County, PA. At least six public access points along this section will remain open; however, the decision closes shoreside access to the river for fishermen, waders, and some boaters.According to published reports the decision was based solely on liability concerns. The Lancaster New Era quotes a Norfolk Southern employee, “Either we allow people