NON-PROm ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 2831 CHAS., WV 25301 Published by the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy Vol. 29, No.5- July/August 1996 Rangel' Cuts Envil'os No Sl':lck on East Gauley Timber' Decision Lareest Timber Sale Ever Sharp Knob (4,532'), an unnamed in the Moo ForestAppealed knob ( 4,584') and Red Spruce by Bill Ragette' eta/ Knob (4,703') form the western edge of the decision area and the Cynthia Schiffer, US For­ backbone of Gauley Mountain. est Service Ranger for the Mar­ Several WVHC Reviews linton District of the Mononga­ have been held at the Elk River hela National Forest announced Touring Center located at the her decision to cut in over 4,000 eastern edge of this project area, acres of trees ( 16 million board which extends 6 miles to the north feet) on the east flank of Gauley and south of the Touring Center Mountain. The two Opportunity and is approximately two miles Areas included in this sale; (Props wide. Snowshoe and Silver Creek Run and Rocky Point) are drained resorts are only a few miles away. by many small streams (Chimney Although Cynthia made some Rock, Blackbole, Big , and Props concessions (reduced time frames Run, as well as Mill Creek, Crook­ for helicopter Jogging) in her fi­ ed Fork) that flow into the upper nal dectston, Gil Willis of the reaches of the Elk River. This Touring Cater feels this of publicly owned land. on recreation area. Tea Creek and the roadlcss The Forest Service is also area of Leatherwood Creek lie working on two other Assess­ adjacent to the west. From north ments for this same area - ooc: on to south Rocky Point (4,364), recreation and the (8ee page 5) OSM's Draft AMD Policy: In a Virgin Woods All Carrot- No Stick direct enforcement, and cleanup acceptable under the Jaw and has AMD will at some point cause as is often the case, the devil is in standards are being reduced to been the focus of numerous ob­ ofT-site damage. One must also the details. by Cindy Rank levels more palatable to industry jections, complaints, appeals, assume that the law does not in­ Presumably the policy is Mining Committee Chair through initiatives like "brown­ suits, etc. by WVHC and others tend to sacrifice on-s1te waters in meant as an attempt to present a US Office of Surface Min­ fields", it isn't surprising that the for nearly a decade. perpetuity. somewhat balanced 'carrot and ing's draft policy on Acid Mine U.S. Office of Surface Mining Picture ifyou would, 10 five THE POLICY stick' approach to achieving the Drainage (AMD) soft-pedals any (OSM) has followed suit. hundred acre permits side by side Under the main beading of two main goals of Environmental reference to enforcement or per­ The agency has formed where AMD exists but is treated HYDROLOGIC BALANCE Restoration and Environmental mit denial and appears to allow 'working groups' to revisit all the before flowing off site. The PROTECTION, this three page Protection. However, the goals the creation of long tenn AMD. hot issues of the day -- blasting, result is five thousand acres of document is a description of the and their expanding objectives BACKGROUND remining, acid mine drainage, reclaimed land where ground and POLICY GOALS AND OBJEC­ and strategies otTer all carrot and In this age of conciliation oversight review of primacy surface water is degraded/de­ TIVES for CORRECTING, PRE­ very little, if any, stick. The and "partnerships" between in­ states, etc. The working group stroyed, but discharges off-site VENTING AND CONTROL­ resulting ambiguities and unclear dustry and regulatory agencies, - on acid mine drainage (AMD) are meeting effiuent limite.;. Ex­ LING ACID/TOXIC MINE directives lend themselves to fur­ when "self audits" are replacing has proposed and circulated a pand the scenario to visions of DRAINAGE. ther disintegrating those parts of draft policy. every major watershed in north­ The introductory page de­ SMCRA that must be reinforced, First let me say that there ern WV - or SW PA, etc. - at the scribes the policy in general not softened, to protect the wa­ have been worse policies drafted mercy of a multitude of treatment terms: "The program is based on ters of the nation from further c!/nslb~ in house (i.e. within OSM) on facilities at every tributary where designing mining operations to abuse by the coal industry. Federal affairs- pg 6 AMD. Nonetheless, this latest AMD exists but is treated before prevent AMD from occurring, GOAL#I: ENVIRONMENTAL draft dated May I Sth contains leaving the smaller watersheds. - monitoring operations during RESTORATION Headwaters trail • pg 4 major deficiencies that must not - What is wrong with this pic­ mining and reclamation to iden­ The stated goal of restora­ Letters needed - pg 3 be overlooked. ture? Recent history bas shown tify any corrective actions that tion sounds good: "AMD dis­ Neotropicals - pg pg 3 The major flaw in this pol­ that no treatment systems are may be needed to prevent or mit­ charges from pre-SMCRA opera­ Strip mining - pg 3 icy is that it appears to allow the 100% reliable, nor are states and igate post-mining pollution dis­ tions sites (sites abandoned prior Thornwood - pg 8 creation of long term AMD pro­ companies fmancially able to charges, and addressing liability to the passage of the Federal Sur­ vided that long term treatment maintain treatment for as long as for AMD in permit bonding de­ face Mine Control and Reclama­ prevents the damage from going AMD persists. In brief, treat­ terminations." tion Act of 1977) should be reme­ OFF-SITE. ment is not the answer to AMD. On its own the statement diated to achieve water resource Such a position is just not One must assume that on-site sounds relatively acceptable. But, recovery. • However, (see page 7) The Highlands Voice, 1\lly/August 1996 - Page 2 Roster ofOflicen, Board Memben ud Committee Chain ,.,,.,~rom de Aear/ o/de _p.kr/eau_.,_,., BO.AitD OF DIRECI'ORS IJy JohnMcFen'in PRESIDENT: John McFarin What Do You Think? 114 Bccldey Ave., Beckley, WV 25801 252-8733 SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT: Frank Young Rt 1, Box 108, Ripley, wv 25271. (304) 372-9329 One of the things I try to do ill the Conservaocy is to make sure VICE-PRESIDENT FOR STATE AFFAIRS: Norm StecnJtra that everybody has a chance to have their say. We are a voluntary 1324 Vtrginia St. E., Cbulatco, WV 25301 W- 346-5891 H- 344-0150 organization; nobody has to join. Ifwe are to continue to have people VICE-PRESIDENT FOR. FEDERAL AFFAIRS: Vecant SECRETARY: Jacqudine A. Hallinan send in their dues year after year they need to mow that this is an 1120 Swan Rd, Cbaricstco. WV 25314 345-3718 organization where their views are listened to. 1REASORE.R: Tom Micb8d Rt 2, Box 217, Lost Crcc:t, WV 26385,623-3447 The only direct way I have of making sure that people have a PAST PRESIDENT: CiDdy Rank chance to have their say is at the Board meetings. Anybody can add HC 78, Box 227, Rock Caw, WV 26234, 924-5802 anything to the agenda. Anybody can say whatever he or she likes. It DI.RECJ'ORS-AT-LARGE may make the meetings last longer but that is the price we pay for being (Tmas u:ptn Oecobtr 1996) an open organization. w-.u.wn P. McNeel, 1118 Second Ave., Marlinton, WV 24954, 7~-4369 Andrew Maier, Rt 1, Box 27, Hinton, WV 25952, 466-3864 Mary Pat Peck, 36 Meade St, Buckhannon, WV 26201,472-3049 But what about the rest of the organization? What of the people Joe Marshall, 108 3rd Street, Elkina, WV 26241 636-9555 who are not on the Board, who don't come to the Board meetings? How Hugh Rogers, Moon Run, Kerens, WV 26276, 636-2662 do they get to have their say? DIUCTORS-AT·LARGE For those people, the Board meetings are always open for your (Tams uplre October 1997) Sayre Rodman, 32 Crystal Dr, Oakmont, PA 15139, (412) 828-8983 attendance and your comments. The pages of the Voice are always open Catroll Jctt, Rt 1, Box 22, Sherman, WV 26173,273-5247 for your letters. Don Garvin, PO Box 436, Buckhannon, WV 26201 472-8716 Carter Zerbe, 16 Arting1on Court, Cbadcttoo 25301 343-3175 For anyone who is at a loss about what to have their say about, Bob Marshall. 201 Vuginia St. West, Cbartcston, WV 25302 345-5518 here is something to chew on: should we allow timbering in the Nation­ ORGANIZATIONAL DIRECTORS al Forests? NATIONAL SPELEOLOGICAL SOCIETY: Vuginia Rqpoo- Judy Fllba­ P.O. Box 276, Berkdey ~. WV 2S41l 258-4974 The Conservancy has never taken a formal position on this issue. PITTSBURG CLIMBERS: Jean Rodman We may have opposed timbering in a particular location or in a particu­ 32 Crystal Dr, Oakmont,PA 15139, 828-8983 WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTA.rn STRF.AM MONITORS: Juon Huber lar way but we have never advocated a complete ban on timbering in the MSM office: 264 High St., Morpntown. WV 26505, 296-8963 - ~~--~~F~"L~~~~~--------~ ---.....-=-'..&Jl ........_ BIOQU aaDa.la... MIIilitl •s 7 5 Rt. I, Box 253, EJkio1. WV 26241, 636-tSS9 Sincere, intelligent people make arguments both for and against MOUNTAINEER CHAPTER TROUT UNIJMITED: Phil R.assaoo Rt 2, Box 375, BuckhanDoo. wv 26201 472..()942 timbering in the Forest. On the one hand, timber is a renewable re­ WEST VIRGINIA RIVERS COAIJTION: Pam Merritt source. Carefully managed, the F~est could serve as a vast reservoir of 49 W.