Friends of Blackwater Canyon Summer 2003 Newsletter 501 Elizabeth St.reet Room 3, Charleston, WV 25311 • 304-345-7663 • www.saveblackwater.org • [email protected] Welcome Blackwater Canyon Update To all our Friends of Blackwater - thank you so Public Outcry Gets Results: Help Us Save this View! much for your interest in protecting Blackwater Forest Service Plans EIS Canyon and the Blackwater Canyon Trail. Your Your ten thousand comments have had support is our most important weapon in a powerful effect!! protecting West Virginia’s scenic “Crown Jewel.” The U.S. Forest Service office that Here are some of our accomplishments so far: oversees the Monongahela National Forest In just two short years, we have: has requested proposals for a full Environmental Impact Statement analysis of the request by Allegheny Wood Products • Worked with Governor Bob Wise to add 500 to turn the scenic and historic Blackwater acres to Blackwater Falls State Park. Canyon Trail into a logging road! • Implemented television, radio, newspaper, e-mail A full EIS is the most rigorous study possible, and direct-mail campaigns to raise the public profile and it means plenty of chances for public of the Canyon and the need to protect it. This input, as well as expert evaluation of all of resulted in 3,000 people sending postcards to the options and consequences. The EIS Governor Bob Wise naming Blackwater Canyon as request by the Mon Forest staff is a great West Virginia’s most “special place” to preserve. first step, but we must remain vigilant. We will monitor the Forest Service’s actions, and • Created watershed, nature education, scientific if we have to get twenty thousand comments Openhouse at research, tourism, and cultural and history outreach in to keep this on track, we will! programs - focused on the unique resources of Charleston Office Blackwater Canyon. On Thursday, September 25, from 4 Friends of Blackwater Mourns p.m. - 7 p.m. we will have an open • Protested the move by Allegheny Wood Products Richard DiPretoro house at the FOB office to celebrate to turn the Blackwater Canyon Trail, on public land, Vows to Continue His Work the 3,000 people who nominated into a logging road. Worked with citizens across Blackwater Canyon as a "Special the state and nation to get more than ten thousand Richard DiPretoro, a longtime West Place" and to applaud Governor people to send comments to the U.S. Forest Service Virginia environmental activist who recently Wise for implementing the - a record for comments to the Monongahela died in a plane crash, had a close connection program. Prizes and refreshments. National Forest! with Friends of Blackwater’s North Fork Project. Just a few days before Richard died, Public welcome. 501 Elizabeth The Friends of Blackwater campaign to protect he completed and delivered an inventory of Street, Charleston; 345-7663 for the Blackwater Canyon and move it all into public mine drainage data for the North Fork of more information. ownership is strong and growing stronger. We are the Blackwater River. building a climate in which public officials - and the The North Fork Project is staffed by Emily Fieldwork Update timber company - will see that the love and support Samargo and summer intern Josh Nease. The that people have for this magnificent Canyon cannot Project is headquartered in the Town of Ecologist and artist Anna Hess finished her summer set be denied or overcome. A conservation purchase Thomas in Tucker County, at the head of the of botanical drawings, and she of the private land in the Canyon will fully Blackwater Canyon. The Project is working plans to get back in the compensate the landowner - and will create a public- to build community support for mine Canyon in late Spetember to spirited legacy for future generations, far more drainage cleanup on the North Fork, and to valuable than short-term profits. capture the pristine beauty of document the cultural and historic resources autumn nature. Thanks to grants associated with the river. Come to Tucker County for the Leaf from the NiSource, Laurel and Hunt We will miss our beloved friend and Peepers Festival, September 27-28. Foundations, Anna’s fieldwork colleague Richard, and we will continue his Call us or visit our website for a will be part of a statewide work to protect the Blackwater. For more educational project. schedule of Blackwater Canyon information, call 304-463-4068, or go to the hikes and bike rides! website: www.northforkwatershed.org. Fundraising Update New Grants Taylor Books Reception This year, Friends of Blackwater has received FOB needs to match $30,000 of grant money artists who donated their work to our auction: funding from Patagonia, the Laurel from a major foundation for a national media Arnout Hyde Jr., T. Paige Dalporto, Mark Foundation, the Roy A Hunt Foundation, campaign. This endeavor would bring national Blumenstein, Steve Payne, David Fattellah, NiSource, the DEP Stream Partners awareness and support that could bring all of Michael Leftridge Sr., Steve Shaluta, Jr., Kevin Program, the Education Foundation of the Canyon land into Boyle, Kathy Boland, America, Norm Thompson, the Martin and public ownership. Joe Chasnoff, and Sam To kick off our effort McCormick. We also Carlson Family Funds and the West Virginia to raise the “grant thank Michael Davis for Humanities Council. match,” Friends of donating a three-night Blackwater hosted a re- vacation getaway to ception and auction in Cheat River Cabins. June at Taylor Books’ Soulful music for the Congratulations Blackwater beautiful location in evening at Taylor Books Sweepstakes Winners! downtown Charleston, was provided by Ron WV. Sowell, director of the Congratulations to Sallie Hunt of Charles- The reception was a “Mountain Stage” band Mark Blumenstein’s “Breaching Pair” - one of the many ton, West Virginia! Sallie won our “Blackwa- success with more than great auction pieces. - and our auction was 150 guests attending. conducted by Tom ter Getaway”: one night’s stay at the Bright And we raised $9,000 of our our $30,000 goal! Rodd and Francis Fisher. Thanks to everyone Morning Inn Bed and Breakfast, dinner at Special thanks to some of West Virginia’s best for making it a terrific evening! Sirianni’s Café, Mountain Music weekend at the Purple Fiddle, and a relaxing massage Taylor Books Host Committee* from Highland Inn. David C. Bailey Sandy & Fred Kerns The winner of the “Blackwater Canyon Holly Holman Bailey Reverend Jim & Mrs. Judy Lewis From Home” package is Josh Whetzel, of John & Cynthia Barrett Jeanne Chandler & Michael Lipton Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Josh wanted to Tim Bradford Kate Long share some of his bountiful winnings with Joe Cometti Ana Marino & Sean McGinley other Friends of Blackwater members, and Sara Crickenberger Sheila McEntee Josh asked us to select two other entrants John & Jeannie Dalporto Michael Plante who would receive some of his prize pack- Colleen Anderson & Michael Davis Marie Prezioso age. We chose Mary Sackett, from Novato, Mary Downey Bobby Reishman & Maury California to receive Josh’s Friends of Black- Bonnie & Mike Fidler Bren Pomponio & Kasey Russell water poster. We sent Josh’s Blackwater Francis & Sandy Fisher Mary Samargo Falls Adventure Guide to Sandra Staggers Bill O’Brien and Sarah Flaherty Kate Fitzgerald &Paul Sheridan Lena Thoren-Glasser & Brian Glasser Kathryn & Jim Stone in Charlottesville, VA. But we absolutely in- Larry Groce & Sandra Armstrong-Groce Dee & Frank Webb sisted that Josh receive The Blackwater Michael & Deirdra Halley Steve White Chronicle, by Philip Pendleton Kennedy, Paul & Nancy Hill Robert Wilson as a reminder of the times Josh used to Alice Hypes-Brown & Tara Maureen Conley & Carter Zerbe “jump the rocks way down in the Canyon.” *thanks for your financial support North Fork Watershed Project Update The North Fork Acid Mine Surface Mining. Joshua Nease is from Drainage watershed tour and BBQ Picnic Bridgeport, WV, and is a recent graduate on July 26 hosted by Philip and Karin of West Virginia Wesleyan College. Nelson was a great success, with more Nease has always had a great interest in than 30 community members attending. the effects of mining on stream water, The Coketon Labor History and he would love to see Seminar Series began in July. North improvements in the North Fork Fork staff will work with local historians Watershed. He enjoys fly-fishing and and scholars to document and promote hiking. Thanks, Josh, for great work. the rich cultural resources in the The West Virginia Stream Partners watershed. Special thanks to summer Program awarded us a grant that will intern Corrine Evans who helped with support our office this coming year. the collection of historical data. With the help of the grant, our We also want to welcome to the inventory of water quality data will be North Fork Project , a full-time summer completed soon, and we will be ready intern supported by the Office of to move into a remediation study Tucker Co. Residents Lori Halderman, Cindy Phillips, Karin Nelson, Alvie Goff, Mary phase. Collins and former WV Delegate, Dave (O.B.) Collins view photos on the North Fork AMD Tour with leader, DEP employee, Marshall Leo. Judy Rodd, President Board Member Highlight: Paul Hill, Vice President Sheila McEntee Jeannie Dalporto, Sec. Sheila McEntee of Charleston, a stalwart Friends Linda Cooper, Treasurer of Blackwater board member, has hiked, camped, and Sandy Fisher watched birds in Blackwater Canyon - but her favor- ite activity there remains sitting on the craggy rocks Board of Directors Sheila McEntee at Lindy Point, clutching a tattered volume of poetry by Gerard Manley Hopkins, and “watching the hills being their magnificent selves.” Annie Dillard A longtime wildlife advocate, Sheila worked Larry Groce throughout the 1990s on behalf of the West Virginia Jason Halbert Audubon Council to achieve permanent funding for West Virginia’s Wildlife Diversity Program (formerly David Hammer, Esq.