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Upcoming Events Statewide: WVEC etc.....
by Duane330＠aol.com 18 Sep '09

18 Sep '09

Upcoming Events! September 25 – 27: 20th WVEC Fall Conference Holly Gray Park, Sutton WV 20th Anniversary of WVEC Celebration & Program, setting 2010 legislative priorities, workshops on enviro issues, silent auction, live music, booths, nature outings & recreation Key-note address- by Jim Hightower, nationally known progressive commentator and co-editor of America's hottest newsletter, the Hightower Lowdown. There will be a Friday evening reception for Jim and he will give Saturday morning keynote address. Please visit _www.wvecouncil.org_ (http://www.wvecouncil.org/) , for complete agenda and updates! September 26 – ACLU Civil Rights Dinner Enjoy yourself with friends and like minded people at the Clay Center in Charleston. Jim Hightower, a funny, irreverent, intelligent populist, is the speaker. He is a New York Times bestselling author and America's funniest activist who gives the lowdown on how to put up-not shut up-in the fight for our future. Get a taste of Jim and a review of his new book Swim Against the Current; Even a Dead Fish Can Go with the Flow. For tickets or more information, please call the WV-ACLU at 304-345-9246. October 2 and 3 – Trail Design Workshop Coonskin Park, Charleston, WV Free but please register by September 20—class is limited to 30 participants Each session combines interactive learning, hands-on trail work, and topnotch instructors to develop skilled trail workers and crew leaders. The workshop will focus on the art and science of trail building through topics such as: Sustainable trail design, Basic construction and much more. For registration information, contact Betty Michael at _betty.michael(a)canaanvi.org_ (mailto:betty.michael@canaanvi.org) or 800-922-3601 ext. 252, or visit _www.canaanvi.org/events_ (http://www.canaanvi.org/events) October 18: Good Jobs, Green Jobs Workshop 1:00-4:00 PM, Big Sandy Arena, Huntington, WV. Sponsored by the WV Center on Budget and Policy. What are “green jobs,” and how can they help shape a vibrant future for West Virginia? Join us for a stimulating afternoon of ideas and discussion about green strategies for economic growth and jobs that support families. For more information, visit _www.wvpolicy.org_ (http://www.wvpolicy.org/) or call 304-720-8682. October 20: An Evening with Gloria Steinem WV Cultural Center, 7:00 PM. Produced by WV FREE. Tickets are $25 and available by calling 304-342-9188 or visit _www.wvfree.org_ (http://www.wvfree.org/) .

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Observer-Reporter -9-16-09
by Duane330＠aol.com 16 Sep '09

16 Sep '09

Observer-Reporter, September 16, 2009 Agencies investigate large fish kill By Bob Niedbala, Staff writer, _niedbala(a)observer-reporter.com_ (mailto:niedbala@observer-reporter.com) State and federal environmental agencies continue to investigate a large fish kill on Dunkard Creek and may be coming closer to determining its cause. The kill was first reported Sept. 1 near Pentress, W.Va. It has since moved downstream past Mt. Morris and, according to some sources, stretches as far as Pigeon Hole Road in Dunkard Township. The kill was believed to have subsided last week, but additional fresh fish kills were discovered during the past weekend, said Helen Humphreys, spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Protection. "Either this is ongoing or it's a second slug of pollutants moving downstream," she said. The incident has killed hundreds of fish including bass, muskies, white suckers, catfish and red horse fish, as well as other forms of aquatic life such as mussels and mud puppies, she said. Humphreys said at one site near Brave more than 300 dead fish were found representing 18 species. Pennsylvania and West Virginia environmental protection agencies as well as the federal Environmental Protection Agency continue to investigate the kill. "Right now," Humphreys said, "I don't think anybody has conclusively identified the source." One of the possible pollutants the agencies are now considering is total dissolved solids, Humphreys said. Very high levels of total dissolved solids have been found in the water, particularly in the West Virginia portion of the stream. The solids included high levels of chlorides, which is indicator of mine discharges, Humphreys said. Investigators are looking at discharges from three active mining operations in the watershed, she said. A preliminary report prepared by the EPA indicated a likely source may be Consol Energy's Blacksvlle No. 2 Mine because of high levels of chloride in its waste water. EPA spokesman David Sternberg said, however, investigators have not determined that the mine is the source of the pollution. "We suspect Blacksville No. 2 may have been a source but we can't rule out other sources right now," he said. Consol Energy spokesman Joe Cerenzia said the company is aware of the fish kill and is working with state and federal agencies investigating it, but to the company's knowledge, the agencies have not conclusively pinpointed the cause. Kathy Cosco, spokeswoman for the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, said her agency has had people out at the creek everyday and continues to collect information from water samples and monitoring stations. The agency still needs a little more data before it attempts to draw any conclusions about the cause and the source, she said. "We're not ready to point any fingers yet," she said. Tom Burrie, 31, of Carmichaels, who has fished in the creek since his youth, said he checked the stream Tuesday and estimated thousands of fish have died. Burrie said he could see fish attempting to swim into tributaries to the creek trying to get to fresh water. Some of the dead muskies he saw, Burrie said, were more than 42 inches long. "Everything in the water is dead, clams, mud puppies everything," he said. "It will take years for that creek to recover." >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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Sheepskin Rail-Trail
by Duane330＠aol.com 12 Sep '09

12 Sep '09

Learning from the Field: _Sheepskin Rail-Trail_ (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102407745953&s=638&e=001Up6tic55Cm5N4kxPbdIfqGuM_… rTrrao0RPiPXPZUH2J__VXg-FD8XjTYWSrUZ-FwVivOgYETG_ql45osQ2XQMmwG5Gc4peFWiX5__ 7PXZGwYdVYsXbp2aUxfqV7Yf_gTw==) , Pennsylvania Developing a rail-trail can take patience. In 1994, a group of citizens in Fayette County, Pennsylvania formed an advocacy group to support the creation of a rail-trail along a 33-mile corridor. Over the years, the _National Park Service_ (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102407745953&s=638&e=001Up6tic55Cm5z5fuWTJRaJY7jY… yW2X4-WSjnlVS7s1m5hH01utb7g7UTn16C1CDBVTf182Jsq-m3ok7oE=) has helped their organization grow, guided the Feasibility Study, and planted the seeds of a community volunteer program to serve the trail once it is operating. The first two miles of trail opened just over a year ago, after the County's Office of Planning and Development led the complex negotiations and project planning. Now, the trail links people in Dunbar to the Great Allegheny Passage and the _C&O Canal National Historic Park_ (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102407745953&s=638&e=001Up6tic55Cm7xUveghJQl67tst… O3LQ3xwKAQxvvCl9Fj7Zc9sgJlL5Pr8QZHmGzmITX2ml1Lo6_s37kMw4F3xJ13hUYZ_O8D_xRq15 G) . The project also includes a trailhead, parking, and restrooms at Dunbar's community park. When complete, the trail will link the 50-mile _Monongahela River Rail-Trail_ (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102407745953&s=638&e=001Up6tic55Cm6bXWPizRDy6ssTU… 7B1L8UJEmMvXCW6BOTpoUZuMx6ZAFDnaTlAMUmvP_vQ==) system in West Virginia with the 333-mile system of rail-trails connecting Pittsburgh to Washington, DC. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> See photos at the Source: Source: _http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=0014FVfS3OZ1Vlma0emlJiwlxh8VA… mAg8DCl5TRF8QFkpkma7WfGbR5IJvZFQr_ (http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=0014FVfS3OZ1Vlma0emlJiwlxh8VAE… vVm_9bUQNoZFH5DSgC0hXtgxlytmAg8DCl5TRF8QFkpkma7WfGbR5IJvZFQr)

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EPA Questions Mountaintop Removal Permits
by Duane330＠aol.com 11 Sep '09

11 Sep '09

EPA questions mountaintop removal permits Permits for new mountaintop removal mines (such as the one pictured above in southern West Virginia) could be in jeopardy. _Joe Lovett explains new EPA announcement_ (http://www.wvpbmedia.com/news/2009/joelovett.mp3) By Erica Peterson, Jessica Lilly and Scott Finn _Download MP3 _ (http://www.wvpbmedia.com/news/2009/0914epapermits.mp3) September 11, 2009 · The Obama Administration said Friday it has serious concerns with dozens of pending permits for mountaintop removal mines in Appalachia. The federal Environmental Protection Agency released a list of 79 permits which it says poses environmental problems and won’t comply with the Clean Water Act. The 79 permits on _the list_ (http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/guidance/mining-screening.html) are scattered throughout Appalachia, and 23 are in West Virginia. The announcement is part of an EPA campaign to subject mountaintop removal permits to greater scrutiny. These tentative steps towards cracking down on surface mines have made environmentalists cautiously optimistic, and the coal industry increasingly nervous. One of the EPA’s primary concerns is valley fills, where waste rock is dumped from mountaintop removal mines. That’s because selenium and other heavy metals have been found at high levels running off the mines. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issues the permits which allow coal companies to fill streams and valleys. After fighting mountaintop removal for more than a decade, Joe Lovett of the _Appalachian Center for the Economy and Environment_ (http://www.appalachian-center.org/) says Friday’s announcement signifies a real shift. “We hope this is the beginning of the end of mountaintop removal and valley fills,” he said. “I don’t think modifications will work. I think the permits are so destructive that even with modifications they won’t comply with the Clean Water Act.” But for an already-beleaguered coal industry worried about climate change legislation, this is further proof that the Obama Administration will take steps to curtail mountaintop removal. Roger Horton, a surface miner and founder of _Citizens for Coal_ (http://www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=10862) , says curtailing mountaintop removal in America will force the U.S. to import coal from other countries. “They’re going to look elsewhere. Coal is going to be a big part of the energy mix in this country for some time to come,” Horton said. “And if they don’t mine it locally, they’re sure as heck going to import it from some other source, perhaps an unfriendly source to our country,” he said. Next, the EPA will meet with the Army Corps to discuss each permit. Lovett says they will look at possible water quality problems, whether the mitigation is actually making up for the impacts of the mining, and the cumulative impacts this mining is having on watersheds. Some of the EPA’s concerns may be resolved by discussions with the Army Corps of Engineers, which has the final say over permits. Some permits might require changes in order to be approved, and others may not be approved at all. Coal industry officials say the new review process isn’t transparent, and it’s hard for mining companies to submit permits when they aren’t sure by what criteria they’ll be judged. Bill Raney is the president of the _West Virginia Coal Association_ (http://www.wvcoal.com/) . He’s calling for compromise. “Let’s sit down and work out whatever those concerns are. The answer is not to stop it, so that you punish people in that process,” Raney said. “And if there are concerns, let’s address them in a very timely way, and let’s address them in a way that allows the companies and people to continue to work to meet the market demands of today,” he said. This is the third announcement about stricter mountaintop removal regulations since Obama’s taken office, and comes after a decade of court decisions regarding mountaintop removal. So far, little has changed. But Lovett says it may be different this time. “One thing that encourages me is, not only does the EPA have new leadership, but the _Corps does as well_ (http://www.nan.usace.army.mil/blog/pdf/NR_CoC09.pdf) ,” Lovett said. “So I expect that the Corps will be looking at these permits differntly in the future from the way they looked at them in the past,” he said. Horton says that coal supporters plan to be vocal in their opposition to the EPA’s policies. “Without giving away my tactics at this point in time, there are going to be direct actions, that are lawful, to let the administration know we aren’t going to be taking this lying down,” Horton said. Friday’s announcement regards permits which had not yet been approved by the Corps. But it comes after news that the EPA is also opposing a 2,300 acre mountaintop removal permit in Logan County the Corps already approved. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks goes out to John Gever for providing the web site to the above article: EPA Questions Mountaintop Removal Permits _http://www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=11237_ (http://www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=11237) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> John Gever, MedPage Today, tel. 1-304-243-0826 cell 1-304-780-9772, Skype 1-412-567-2949 (pre-arranged interviews only) _j.gever(a)medpagetoday.com_ (mailto:j.gever@medpagetoday.com) or _jgever(a)gmail.com_ (mailto:jgever@gmail.com) _http://www.medpagetoday.com_ (http://www.medpagetoday.com/)

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EPA Clean Water program
by duane330＠aol.com 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

EPA SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON CLEAN WATER ENFORCEMENT ACTION PLAN THROUGH ONLINE FORUM EPA is inviting the public to participate in its online forum through its new Web site with ideas about the future direction EPA should take to more effectively enforce Clean Water requirements and achieve better compliance.? EPA wants to know what direction its national water enforcement program should take to improve water quality protection in the nation and enforce outstanding violations.? The Clean Water Enforcement Action Plan discussion forum which will close on Friday, Aug. 28 will accept this input, and evaluate and consider recommendations to the EPA Administrator about what the public feels the future direction of EPA's water enforcement program should take. We are providing information to assist the public discussions: Clean Water Enforcement Action Plan, state-by-state reports: Assessing the effectiveness of the program, EPA and state enforcement data, and the administrator's memorandum: The Memorandum.

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Mon River runs high TDS
by Duane330＠aol.com 19 Aug '09

19 Aug '09

Pa. going over W.Va.’s head on Mon River pollution by Ken Ward Jr., The Charleston Gazette Our neighbors to the north are apparently growing tired of West Virginia’s inaction — or _action through only baby steps_ (http://www.wvgazette.com/News/200907150773) — to deal with the potential water pollution problems from disposal of “pit fluids” from large-scale oil and gas drilling. According to _a story over the weekend_ (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09229/991367-455.stm) by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Don Hopey, Pennsylvania authorities have asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to step in and set tougher pollution limits for Monongahela River. Pennsylvania DEP Secretary John Hanger told Hopey that his state has issued orders limiting the discharges of total dissolved solids, or TDS, in the Mon — and, perhaps more importantly, has started the lengthy process of drafting new regulatory controls. But, Hanger said, West Virginia hasn’t done likewise. Hanger told Hopey: We’re not satisfied with the response we’ve received from West Virginia and are engaging the EPA. Because at the end of the day, without federal involvement, we may not get the kind of cooperation needed to solve this problem. I personally have concerns that the posture of West Virginia on this matter is not aggressive enough. In his article, Hopey explained some background of this Pa-W.Va. dispute: Sources of dissolved solids include sewage treatment plants, power plant scrubber and coolant water, storm water runoff, abandoned mine drainage, a host of industrial activities and wastewater from oil and gas drilling, especially the millions of gallons produced by deep wells tapping into the Marcellus shale gas bed. For the past year, Pennsylvania has restricted the amount of wastewater from those deep gas drilling operations that sewage treatment plants can accept to no more than 1 percent of their total water discharges into the river. West Virginia has only recently urged treatment facilities to limit intake of well waste water. And officials there said the sewage treatment plant in Clarksburg, the only such facility in the state that was permitted to accept well drilling waste water, stopped last month. Scott Mandirola, director of the WVDEP’s Division of Water and Waste Management, told Hopey that his agency would “cooperate fully” with Pennsylvania and the EPA to develop a pollution reduction plan for the Mon. But as I reported in May, setting the needed pollution limits _is not a major priority for WVDEP_ (http://www.wvgazette.com/News/200905180578) . In _a presentation_ (http://www.wvdep.org/Docs/17155_tds.pdf) during a public water quality standards meeting, DEP assistant water director Pat Campbell noted that surrounding states have such standards, but West Virginia is only just beginning to study whether it should adopt one: This is the beginning of the state considering whether to have a TDS critiera and what that number should be. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> See also: _http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=03075070_ (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=03075070) Note: The total dissolved solids (TDS) level will be approximately two-thirds the value of the specific conductivity, measured in microsiemens (formerly known as micro-mhos, created from ohms spelled backward, because it is a conductivity rather than a resistance. See also: _www.uppermon.org_ (http://www.uppermon.org)

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rowing down the river
by duane330＠aol.com 12 Jul '09

12 Jul '09

City man is flowing with love of rowing John Duarte touting beginners’ program BY STEFANIE LOH The Dominion Post With his father in the Portuguese navy, John Duarte, 50, has been around water his entire life. “I’ve always been fascinated by things on the water,” said Duarte, president of the Monongahela Rowing Association. “How the water carries life. With the ocean, you’ve got this flatness, and then you come and start seeing the shoreline. I guess I’ve always enjoyed that.” Morgantown is hundreds of miles from any ocean, so Duarte takes solace in the fact that the Monongahela River runs right through town. That allows him to continue rowing, a sport he picked up at age 16 in his native Portugal, but never seriously pursued until 2005, when he joined the MRA. Now, Duarte wants to spread his love for the sport to everyone else in Morgantown. “Rowing is not an elite sport,” Duarte said. “It started as a way of life, and it continues today because it’s an environmentally friendly sport. It’s dependent on pure human power, and it’s nonpolluting in every way.” Still, it’s never been a very high-profile sport in Morgantown, and Duarte wants to change that. The first step, he said, is to try to change people’s mindset about the river. T he Monongahela was once a bustling waterway, but river commerce has long since disappeared and, in most people’s eyes, the Mon has now become just another component of the picturesque Morgantown landscape. “The river is behind the trees and people cross it but usually don’t see it otherwise,” Duarte said. “On a day-to-day [basis], very few people have contact with the river except for passing over on the two bridges. And then you get stuck in traffic, but you’re not really looking at the river. “The funny thing is that we don’t have enough bridges to cross the river, so everybody is aggravated by having to cross it. So the river is seen more as an impediment to things in Morgantown than as a complement.” Duarte has decided that the best way to help people develop an appreciation for the river is to get them on it. As a result, he’s been working hard to tout the MRA’s “Learn to Row” program this summer. The $250 fee for the program includes six two-hour lessons and the $150 MRA annual dues that allows members to take one of the club’s 12 boats on the water at any time. Meg Ayers, a Learn to Row instructor, said the program is a crash course in rowing and that by the end, most people have a pretty good idea of whether they enjoy the sport enough to want to continue. “We’re trying to teach the basics in a really small amount of time,” Ayers said. “Six lessons is really tight because some of [these] things take longer than two hours to figure out.” Ayers is also available for private lessons if people want to continue rowing at the end of the class. The MRA is headquartered at a boathouse on 40 Donley St. that it shares with the WVU women’s crew team. Until a year ago, the MRA operated out of a boathouse on the former General Woodworking site in Westover, which Duarte said was much harder to get to than the present location. The new boathouse is right off the rail trail, directly under the former Boathouse Bistro restaurant on the waterfront. Duarte hopes that the boathouse’s location will help entice frequent rail trail users to give rowing a try. As a low-impact sport, Duarte said, rowing is easy on the knees and is especially good for runners who are looking to cross train in a second sport. “Activities connect and bring people around,” Duarte said. “The trail has done that and [we’re hoping] this new boathouse will do that.” http://olive.dominionpost.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RFBvc3QvMjAwOS8wNy8xMiN… A novice finds a sport that floats her boat BY STEFANIE LOH The Dominion Post CITY MAN 0Ais flowing with a love of rowing: John Duarte touts program for beginners. Page 7-C. WVU COACHES try to grow, grow, grow their sport: Look for anyone willing to work. Page 7-C. “You’ll be sore tomorrow.” Rowing instructor Meg Ayers grinned at me as she zipped by in a weathered motorboat that was once blue but whose scratched and battered hull now looked silver, the natural color of its aluminum core. Sore tomorrow, huh? Sure. Maybe. I’d worry about that later. At the moment I was preoccupied with maneuvering my little red bathtub back to the dock, and my knuckles hurt more than any muscle in my body. The problem was that my oars had not been sized correctly. The handle end of each paddle was about 4 inches too long, resulting in an overlap I’d initially deemed a mild inconvenience, but had since reclassified as an outright annoyance. Every time I pulled the oars toward my chest, the end of one super-long oar inadvertently hit the knuckles of my opposite hand. If I tried to raise my left hand to keep it from colliding directly with my right, it messed up my rhythm and resulted in both blades hitting the water at different times. Arrrgh. OK, let me back up about an hour and a half ... Volunteering for adventure It’s late on a sunny Saturday afternoon when I arrive at the20boathouse beneath the former Boathouse Bistro, on the east bank of the Monongahela River. And I’m ready to row. The Monongahela Rowing Association (MRA) had called the paper earlier in the week to invite a reporter to check out the boathouse and sit in on a Learn to Row class. I love adventure. I volunteered. John Duarte, president of the MRA, arrives at 5 p.m. to open the boatbouse. Since the class started the week before, I’m a session behind. John spends 30 minutes updating me on what everyone else learned in two hours. First, I get on the ergometer, the rower’s dry-land cardiovascular workout staple. I get a quick lesson starting with “arms-only” — pull the bar toward your chest, then push straight out. Then we add the slide. John shows me how to slide forward and use my legs to push back as I pull the bar in toward my chest. “People think rowing is all an arm movement, but it’s actually all in the legs,” he says. After that, I spend a few minutes watching select segments of an introductory DVD. John fast-forwards through most of it, but I take in quickhit tips about water safety, how to carry the boat from the boathouse to the dock and how to hydrate properly. We’ve just gotten to the good part — naming the parts of the boat — when John deems that we’re run ning out of time and fast-forwards again. Now I watch the segment on what to do if you fall out of the boat. That’s when it hits me: I could fall in the water? At that moment, I regret pulling on red basketball shorts and a black running tank. Swim bottoms, Spandex shorts and a rash guard might’ve been more appropriate. Too late now. Just as the annoyingly didactic narrator starts talking about how to treat hypothermic shock, we’re out of time. John takes a pair of oars off the rack, shows me how to handle them. And we head for the docks. An oar in each hand The prescribed oar-carrying method is to put both paddles on the ground, about a foot apart, with the blade facing forward. Step between them and take one oar in each hand. Watch for obstacles (ack, doorframe) as you maneuver the unwieldy things through the long snaking walkway that zigzags down to the dock. We arrive at the dock and I place the oars down with everyone else’s. John introduces me to Meg Ayers, our instructor for the day. Meg Ayers is 5-foot-5. She has a stern countenance, short-cropped dark hair, a permanent sunglass tan on her TO SIGN UP for the Monongahela Rowing Association’s Learn to Row program, visit monrowing.org or call (304) 282-6523 for information. Meg Ayers is also available for private lessons ($20 per hour). Contact her at (304) 231-4612. INTERESTED in the WVU crew team’s novice program? Contact assistant coach Tina Griffith, at tina.griffith @mail.wvu.edu. weather-browned face and powerful shoulders from years of rowing. She cuts an imposing figure — until she laughs, a crisp, uproarious melody that catches you off guard every time. Meg rowed for the WVU crew team from 2002-06 and won the Head of the Ohio in a single scull during her senior season. We’re in good hands. Homegirl knows what she’s doing. The class consists of Elizabeth Duarte, 15 (John’s daughter); Heather Robertson, 33; and Susanne Rasmussen, 58, who signed up on a whim after coming across a flyer for the Learn to Row program. Meg gathers everyone around her and gives us a primer on the basics of rowing. Hmm, maybe I should’ve watched the entire introductory video. To ensure everyone has a common vocabulary (my classmates have already had a full lesson), Meg gets people to name the parts of the boat’s anatomy. The long arms that extend outward from the boat are? “Riggers,” Susanne says. Meg points to the contraption that will hold the oar in place. “Oarlock,” my classmates chime, in unison. The little stick-like thing that swings out over the top of the U-shaped oarlock to form a box with the U and secure the oar? “Gate,” the class answers. Yep. Should’ve watched the whole thing. “What do you call this end of the boat?” Meg asks, pointing to the end closest to the20foot plate. We all think for a minute. “Stern,” Susanne proffers, breaking the silence. “Were you that person who always sat in the front row in class?” Meg teases her, smiling. (Later, Susanne would admit to me that she was just as overwhelmed as I’d felt, but I was still awed by how her mental rowing encyclopedia was volumes ahead of my own.) Next, Meg demonstrates how to get into a boat and get set to launch. Here’s the game plan: We’ll board the boat one at a time and Meg will hold the vessel in place as we practice basic rowing strokes. After we’ve each had a turn, we’ll embark on the river together. Row, row, row your boat Time to row. Suddenly, the group seems a little uncertain. Even Susanne expresses concern that she might end up in the river. “You’ll be fine,” Meg says, poohpoohing our fears. “This thing’s like the Titanic.” We look aghast, and Meg laughs. “OK, bad example,” she concedes. “But you’ll be fine. Plastic floats.” We disperse to set up our oars. I stand over my assigned vessel and give it a once-over. The Alden Horizon is a beginner’s boat, to say the least. For one thing, it’s made of molded plastic and weighs 60 pounds — that’s pretty much on the Biggest Loser end of the sculling boat spectrum. The WVU crew team, for instance, owns a single scull that, according to John, is=2 0worth about $12,000, weighs a mere 20 pounds and cuts through the river like a torpedo. I cautiously plant a foot in the middle of the Horizon and transfer some weight onto it. Suddenly the basketball shorts and tank don’t seem like such a bad choice. This behemoth’s virtually unsinkable! The fat little boat bobs in the water like a kayak. With its day-glo red frame and royal blue trim, it reminds me of the chunky Fisher-Price tricycle I had as a kid. How hard can it be to stay afloat in a Fisher-Price-colored plastic bathtub? I grab the oars closest to me — a wooden pair John later informs me are practically antiques — and I fit them into the oarlocks. As per Meg’s instructions, the dock-side oar goes in first, then I set the water-side oar in place but leave it draped across the boat. I’m first. Because The Alden Horizon is parked closest to the end of the dock, I get to be the first student in. Meg strolls over, the group trailing behind her. All eyes are on me now. It’s showtime. “OK, which end is this?” Meg asks, pointing to the part of the boat closest to the seat. Uhhhh ... “The stern?” Meg raises an eyebrow. Wrong answer. It’s the bow. Stern equals back of the boat, bow equals front. Rowing is trippy because your back is to the front of the boat. As I was about to discover, that mak es it especially difficult for beginners to know where they’re going since the rower’s frame of vision is focused on territory already covered. “OK, what do you do first?” Meg asks. Uh-oh. This is how I used to feel when called upon in math class. “Grab both oars?” “Yes,” she says. “But what’s before that?” I really wish I’d watched the entire video! “Uh, get into the boat?” Now Meg’s just trying not to laugh. “Good guess. But what else?” I rack my brain. She might as well have asked me to state the law of cosine. “Is this a trick question?” Now she does laugh, and everyone else does too. “The oars,” she hints, then mouths: “Run them out.” I know she thinks she’s helping. But my brain is still processing all the rowing jargon it’s been bombarded with for 15 minutes. Run them out? What the hell does that mean? Light bulb moment! I reach down and push the water-side oar out as far as it will go until it hits the oar collar and the end of the blade dangles into the river. Bingo. “There you go.” Meg’s being encouraging and saintly patient. Now I know what I’m doing. I grab both oars, step into the boat and sit down. I bob on a surprisingly strong river current. Meg says this could pose a few problems. Rolling river The river’s in a hurry today. “Usually, you can toss a piece of20wood in the water and it’ll sit there for five minutes,” Meg says. Today, that same piece of wood would be 15 feet downriver in half that amount of time. Plan B: Meg pushes the Horizon (with me in it) down the last 30 feet of dock until we’re at the end, and she’s sitting with her legs dangling in the water while holding on to the stern (see, I learned) of my boat. I’m facing her with my oars in the water. The Fisher-Price monstrosity feels every bit as stable as it looks. Square the oars, Meg says. My brain — terrorized by years of never knowing the answer when I was asked to square anything in math class — takes a couple of seconds to process the order. OK, I get it. I rotate the oars in the locks so that the backs of the blades are facing Meg. First, we start with “arms only,” which is enough for the time being (since the two poles in the water might as well be jousting sticks for all the control I have over them). Like willful teenagers, they float and sink in the water — seemingly at will — and refuse to obey my initial commands. Going from the erg machine to an actual boat is kind of like bench-pressing with free weights after only using a Smith machine (which guides the bars and eliminates extraneous movement). The oars add another dimension to the mix. Not only do20you have to move them through the water in unison, but you also have to ensure that the blades hit the water at the same time — preferably angled perpendicular to the surface for maximum propulsion. And that’s just the beginner’s version of rowing. Later, I learned from Meg that most competitive rowers row “on the feather,” which means that instead of having the oars perpendicular to the water throughout the rowing cycle, rowers coming out of the forward position (known as “the catch”), rotate the oars so the blades are parallel to the water as they pull the oars in, then rotate them into the perpendicular “on the square” position again right before they dip back into the water. (Was this stuff on the video?) This minimizes resistance, she said, but it also requires coordination and precise timing, which beginners take a while to master. Thankfully, Meg never mentions “feathering” out and we focus instead on learning to row “on the square.” I’m getting the hang of it. With Meg acting as my anchor, we progress from “arms only” to “half slide” — you start using your legs to complement your arms. Then we go to “full slide” — you pull your body forward until your calves almost touch your hamstrings and open your arms to resemble Icarus with wing s outstretched on his way off the mountain. Then you thrust with your legs to drive your body back before finally pulling on the oars almost as an afterthought. Meg says your legs should be almost fully extended before you start to bring in your arms. “Your legs are what’s generating the force because they are pushing off and propelling you forward,” she says. “The arms are just hanging on.” My turn ends. I know my stuff. Batter up. Student after student takes a seat in the boat until everyone has a turn at paddling in place. Then, with about a half hour left in the lesson, the rowers disperse to their separate boats. Time to launch. I’m excited. Drift away “Hold on to the dock until we’re all ready to go!” Meg calls, running toward the blue motorboat she’s left running at the other end of the dock. Will do, coach. I climb back into my little red bathtub. This time the oars don’t feel as alien in my hands. I hold onto the black rubber grips of both oars with one hand and casually rest the palm of my other hand on the dock. The current sneaks up under me so artfully that it takes half a minute before I realize my fingertips are barely grazing the rough dock surface as I drift out on the water. Ahhhh! AHHHH! The ever-alert Meg Ayers happens to look up and notice that the class screw-up is no longer anchored in place. She races over. Th e Alden Horizon has somehow made a 90-degree turn on its own volition. To my right — starboard side — Meg stands on the edge of the dock that is now about 20 feet away. “Where are you going?” she calls, laughing. “I don’t know,” I say, truthfully. The stern of the boat is pointed toward the riverbank. Tree branches and an assortment of other fauna extend welcoming arms to me. As Meg yells directions to help me turn around (“Use the left paddle only, and give me a couple of hard strokes! Now another one!”), I politely decline the riverbank’s invitation to moor the boat headfirst, and I find my way back to the dock. Meg pulls me in, visibly amused. She flips up a T-shaped dock cleat and reminds me to hold onto it until the entire class is ready to go. All about rhythm We’re off! All of us this time. Our flotilla of three boats and Meg’s motor launch is finally drifting downriver toward the Westover Bridge. Meg has us lift one oar at a time and lean in the corresponding direction to demonstrate that the boat will move the way the rower moves. Then she sets us free. I quickly discover that rowing is all about rhythm. Slide in. Pull back. Slide in. Pull back. I stroke through the water clumsily, but to my amazement the boat starts=2 0moving in the direction I want to go. It takes a while for my arms to work the oars in harmony. And in the beginning, my river ride is a jerky one as I laboriously control all the moving parts. Meg stops by in her “tuna can,” as she affectionately refers to the launch. She watches in amusement as I try, rather unsuccessfully, to keep the oars moving in tandem for more than four strokes at a time. “Do I look as awkward as I feel?” I call out to her. “Since you asked, yes,” she says, and I’m treated to another rhapsody of her melodious laugh. Meg has taught the Learn to Row class every summer for several years now. She also helps to train the WVU novice crew team, so she’s used to helping beginners troubleshoot. She tells me to quit monitoring my oars — I keep looking right and left to make sure my oars are in sync — and look straight ahead. It helps with balance. By experimenting, I learn to steer left and right. Soon, I’m alternating between coasting smoothly downriver and stopping abruptly when my oars get out of sync and I need to reset. When I’m in rhythm, I find myself enjoying my trip down the Mon. There’s a certain calm that engulfs you when you allow momentum to overtake the need to think about what you’re doing. I cut through the water, captivated by my surroundings. I’ve seen the river before, of course — I run on the rail trail regularly — but not like this. The bold colors of Morgantown’s hilly landscape rise and fall around me, a portrait of lush greenery interspersed with red brick buildings, all set against the azure summer sky. I’m not alone on the water — on a warm Saturday evening, there are three other boats around, plus people fishing from the banks, watching with vague interest as I row past. But the longer I stay in rhythm, the less they seem to exist. Cars zip by on the bridge above me, a steady reminder of city life. But as I steer my little red bathtub through the water, I feel like I’m somewhere else entirely. I pass under the Westover bridge and note that the crew team has marked its territory: “2001 WVU Crew” is spray painted in big blocky letters on the side of the concrete bridge support. Then the boat seems to shift under me. I look out to see that my right oar is no longer hitting the water “on the square.” The rhythm’s been broken. Darn. http://olive.dominionpost.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RFBvc3QvMjAwOS8wNy8xMiN… WVU coaches try to grow, grow, grow their sport Scour campus for anyone willing to put in the work BY STEFANIE LOH The Dominion Post Are you moderately athletic, eager for a new challenge and excited about the prospect of spending 40 hours a week working out with a group of highly motivated individuals? Do you want to compete for a chance to represent WVU in collegiate regattas all over the country? If you answered yes to all of the above, the WVU women’s crew team wants you. The WVU women maintain a varsity squad and a novice squad every year. The novice squad consists entirely of walk-ons, most of whom have no prior rowing experience. “There are a few colleges in the country who rely heavily on recruiting, but most have a call out at the beginning of the school year to get as many kids as they can to come out,” said Jimmy King, head coach of the WVU crew team. “We’re looking for student-athletes who have never rowed before because rowing at the junior level isn’t as widespread as soccer or swimming.” Basically, the novice program is a year-long tryout for aspiring rowers to earn a spot on the varsity. Assistant coaches Tina Griffith and Meg Ayers play the part of novice team drill instructors. As Griffith describes it, “Basically, we have to take kids who know nothing about rowing and prepare them for a Division I varsity team in a year.” A daunting task by any standard. “Most kids don’t know what it’s like to be an athlete at this level,” Griffit h said. “When we start out, they can barely run a mile, and at the end of the spring they are running [under] eightminute miles.” The rookie boot camp for rowers starts when fall semester begins at WVU. Rowers spend the first two months learning the basics on ergometers, stationary indoor rowing machines known in rowing parlance as “ergs.” The team also does a lot of physical conditioning during that first semester. “We do a lot of circuit training and sort of assess everyone’s conditioning,” Ayers said. With so much emphasis placed on having the recruits master the basics of rowing, they barely even get on the water during the first three months. “Maybe on Saturdays we’ll let them out on the water just once to keep them kind of intrigued,” Ayers said, grinning. Then comes the weed-out period. When it gets too cold to get on the water — and mind you, the team rows in 20-degree temperatures — training moves indoors and the team will spend the winter months in the Shell Building on the erg every day. Understandably, that sometimes leads to bouts of cabin fever. “But we try to open the doors and let them see out every once in a while,” Ayers joked. To keep things fresh, the novices work out with the WVU’s men’s club crew team=2 0and play Ultimate Frisbee. The novice team typically participates in a couple of races in the fall, but will have a full competition slate in the spring. Without the luxury of signing recruits, the coaches have to do a lot of canvassing to fill their roster. Griffith used to make the rounds of area high schools to talk to basketball, volleyball and soccer coaches. But that hasn’t proved lucrative in the past, so she and Ayers now focus on recruiting on campus. “We do a lot of footwork,” Ayers said. “So we’re constantly handing out fliers.” They also stuff mailboxes in the residence halls. But as anyone who’s ever rued the plethora of junk mail commonly found in mailboxes knows, that’s not the most effective way to reach your target audience. But the coaches have figured out a way to make their junk mail stand out in the cluttered mailboxes of party-minded undergrads. “We try to make them look like Club Z papers,” Ayers said, referring to the 18-and-over bar downtown that’s frequented by WVU underclassmen. “We put them on bright colors and keep them really short so at least the kids will have it in their hands and look at it before they throw it away.” Occasionally, the coaches will even tap into the university’s male population. “Sometimes we’ll even go up to g uys and say, ‘Hey, have you got a girlfriend? Is she strong? Does she kick your [butt] all the time? Have her come row for us,’” Ayers said. “It’s funny, sometimes it works. There are guys out there who will say, ‘Yeah my girlfriend would love to do that, she’s looking for something to do.’” With more than 10 years of coaching experience between them, Ayers and Griffith have a mental blueprint of the kind of athlete they’re looking for. “You’re definitely looking for that special sort of person, that type-A personality,” Ayers said. “And we’re always looking for a good student. But we want someone who’s real particular about detail and who’s internally driven. That helps us ease them in.” Don’t mistake “blueprint” for picky, though. Ayers and Griffith will take on pretty much anyone who’s willing to learn. Most of their rowers played an assortment of other sports in high school but were not good enough to continue on the collegiate level. Many of these former high school athletes also fell into rowing while recovering from injury. “Some of them have injuries [from other sports] but we’re willing to take them,” Ayers said. “Rowing is low-impact and we can tweak with [the workouts] a lot. So if they have injuries, we’ll figure out something and make it work for them .” Griffith and Ayers have proved to be pretty good coaches too. At the end of this past season, King invited 12 of the 13 novice squad rowers to come back as members of the varsity. “Come row for us,” Ayers said. “If you give us enough time, we should be able to turn you into a rower if you have any sort of athletic ability.” >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> See also: www.cheatlaketoday.com >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> See also: www.cheatlaketoday.com

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Fwd: High TDS in Mon River
by Duane330＠aol.com 09 Jul '09

09 Jul '09

See the forwarded graph for insight on the variation of dissolved solids in the Monongahela River at this time. NOTE: The "total dissolved solids" in parts per million is approximately 0.67 times the specific conductivity value. Duane Nichols, CLEAR **************Looking for love this summer? Find it now on AOL Personals. (http://personals.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntuslove00000003)

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Fwd: DEP Public Notice - Public Input Accepted on Water Quality Standards
by duane330＠aol.com 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

-----Original Message----- From: dep.online(a)wv.gov , Sent: Wed, Jul 1, 2009 4:42 pm Subject: DEP Public Notice - Public Input Accepted on Water Quality Standards The following was sent to you because you are a Member of the DEP Public Notice mailing list. =========================================================== Wednesday, July 1, 2009 @ 4:42 PM =========================================================== Public Input on Water Quality Standards Accepted Until August 14 The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s DEP Water Quality Standards Program is providing an opportunity for the public to submit information and data concerning the agency’s triennial review of the state’s water quality standards. In response to a request for public input discussed at a public meeting on May 18, the DEP is offering a 45-day public comment period to allow involvement from West Virginia citizens. All correspondence will need to be received by August 14, 2009, and should be mailed to: West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection ATTN: Water Quality Standards Program 601 57th Street S.E. Charleston, WV 25304 Comments and information may also be e-mailed to Linda.B.Keller(a)wv.gov. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> To: CLEAR=2 0members and friends........... From: J. B. Kotcon & D. G. Nichols The Clean Water Act requires states to review and update their water quality standards every three years to incorporate new scientific findings and other emerging issues. WV-DEP is now taking public comment on their water quality standards, and this is a good opportunity to seek improvements. Potential rule changes might be to strengthen existing standards for specific pollutants, such as mercury, selenium, coliform bacteria, etc. This would also be an opportunity to request standards for new pollutants such as TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), as was suggested in a bill introduced in the Legislature this year. Such a standard would help protect water quality from discharges of brine and drilling fluids from gas wells, or treated or untreated acid mine drainage, bot of which are issues for many rivers and streams in West Virginia (Pennsylvania currently sets their standard at 500 ppm for TDS, but West Virginia does not have a standard at all.) Another issue is the enforcement and interpretation of the Anti-Degradation Policy. DEP issued a variance to the policy for the Pond Lick Quarry near Elkins which allowed 100 % of the stream's assimilative capacity for iron and aluminum, a variance directly contrary to the intent of the anti-degradation policy in the rule. The current version of the rule (47-CSR-2) is available on the WV Secretary of State's web page at: http://www.wvsos.com/csrdocs /worddocs/47-02.doc

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NEWS For Use By CLEAR
by Duane330＠aol.com 24 Jun '09

24 Jun '09

Economic downturn has affected timber business, company Allegheny Wood Products of Petersburg has sold 55,000 acres to The Forestland Group LLC. The sale represents most of AWP’s approximately 64,000 acres, according to company spokesperson Donna Reckart. Most of the timberland is in West Virginia, according to Reckart, with scattered parcels lying in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Within West Virginia, most of the acreage is in Preston County. The sale included AWP’s timberlands in Cheat Canyon but not those in Blackwater Canyon, Reckart said. Although the sale took place in April — Reckart did not have the date immediately available — it has not yet been recorded at the Preston County courthouse. Due in part to the long downturn in residential construction, demand for wood products dropped to the point where the family-owned AWP had to sell its land or close its doors, Reckart said. “We were at about 800 employees probably about two years ago. The last I heard it was approximately 450 employees,” she said. The company most recently laid off 140 in February. Production a year ago was about 140 million board-feet a year, she continued, and now it’s closer to 70 million. “We were the last sawmill in the state to have two shifts, and we just finally had to cut back,” she added. “We’re still, I think, one of the very few if not the last to actually be running five days a week.” The Forestland Group is a Chapel Hill, N.C.-based Timber Investment Management Organization, or TIMO. According to its Web site, TFG manages 2.7 million acres in 20 states and Costa Rica. AWP has negotiated a timber supply agreement with TFG, Reckart said, and will continue to buy from private landowners as it did before the sale. AWP closed two sawmills the past several years, one in Mount Storm, W.Va., and one in North Carolina. It continues to operate sawmills in Elkins, Kingwood, Princeton and Riverton, W.Va., and in Marble, Pa. The company expects its cash flow will be sufficient until construction picks up again, Reckart said. Copyright 2009 West Virginia Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. **************Make your summer sizzle with fast and easy recipes for the grill. (http://food.aol.com/grilling?ncid=emlcntusfood00000005)

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swimming anyone?
by Duane330＠aol.com 21 Jun '09

21 Jun '09

by Lincoln Peirce (http://comics.com/big_nate/2009-06-20/) **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221323000x1201367220/aol?redir=htt… JunestepsfooterNO62)

2 1

I want to go to Lewisburg
by Duane330＠aol.com 16 Jun '09

16 Jun '09

Erosion & Sediment Control Training for Contractors, Developers, and Land Managers June 25, 2009 at 6:00 pm WV State Fair Grounds, WVU Building “Free Dinner Will Be Provided” Topics Covered Will Include: · Gabion Systems for Slope and Streambank Stabilization · Resources for BMP’s · Pesticides and the Construction Site · Regulations and Permitting Attendees will Receive a Copy of the “West Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Best Management Practice Manual ” & Other Resource Materials Representatives from the West Virginia Conservation Agency, Greenbrier Valley Conservation District, and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection will be on hand to answer questions. Continuing Education Credits Will Be Available For: Pesticide Applicators (6 credits) To Attend, Please RSVP by Calling the Greenbrier Valley Conservation District at 304-645-6173 by Wednesday, June 24 **************An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! (ht tp://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221823265x1201398681/aol?redir=http:… eExcfooterNO62)

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Foam on the water.........
by Duane330＠aol.com 11 Jun '09

11 Jun '09

Members and friends of CLEAR............ Foam/water samples from the surface of Mon River downstream of Morgantown L/D on May 28th and June 2nd were taken by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Samples were sent to a contract laboratory for metals (including strontium & barium); oil & grease; total petroleum hydrocarbon; chloride; sulfate; surfactant; total, suspended, and dissolved solids; pH; alkalinity; acidity; hardness; conductivity; color; and turbidity analyses. Results should be in early next week. The Corps' project staff has observed foam downstream of various Mon River navigation dams for many years, but think the the incidence and severity of the events are increasing. They are planning to collect additional samples during the next big foam event. p.s. I have observed form on Cheat Lake from time to time, particularly after a big rain. If you have seen this brown foam or other unusual materials in the Lake, please let me know. Do you have any evidence as to the source or reason for this foam? Some of it could come from the trees in the upper Cheat water shed, as well as residual organic matter from rotting leaves.............?? Duane Nichols **************Dell Deals: Don’t miss huge summer savings on popular laptops starting at $449. (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221770187x1201425153/aol?redir=htt… i)

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WV-DEP Water Quality Standards
by Duane330＠aol.com 12 May '09

12 May '09

============================================================ Tuesday, May 12, 2009 @ 10:10 AM ============================================================ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 12, 2009 Charleston, W.Va. – The Department of Environmental Protection’s Water Quality Standards Program is having a public meeting to discuss issues related to requirements governing water quality standards. Staff from the Water Quality Standards program will discuss criteria for iron, mercury, total dissolved solids and nutrients in the state’s waterways. The meeting will take place Monday, May 18 at 1 p.m. in rooms 1203 and 1204 in the Department of Environmental Protection’s headquarters, located at 601 57th Street SE, Charleston, WV. – 30 – **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221322936x1201367173/aol?redir=htt… =Mayfooter51209NO115)

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Lake Level Varies With Time
by Duane330＠aol.com 06 May '09

06 May '09

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A lake story for Earth Day....
by Duane330＠aol.com 22 Apr '09

22 Apr '09

Note: "We drink lake water here." Can you find this quote? WHEN THOREAU VISITED OUR NEIGHBORHOOD - David Mraz, East Calhoun News (1994) How few men venture out beyond the last Familiar mark upon the well-known trail! And he who has the courage to go past This sign that cannot in his mission fail. He will have left at least one mark behind To guide some other brave exploring mind. --from "Me Path of Life" by Charles H. Meiers, published in the Hampton Columbian Magazine, January 1912 In 1861, writer and naturalist Henry David Thoreau made a journey to Minnesota, It was his longest trip outside Massachusetts. At the urging of his doctor, Thoreau came to our state for a cure of his illness, tuberculosis. In the 1860s, it was a commonly held belief that Minnesota's fresh air could cure tuberculosis. Of his 33 days in Minnesota, the author of Walden spent nine of them in the Lake Calhoun area. Thoreau's traveling companion was a 17-year old naturalist by the name of Horace Mann, Jr. Mann was the son of the famed teacher and educator. Their stay in the Lake Calhoun area was at Mrs. Hamilton's boarding house. In his journal, Thoreau left some notes, mostly focusing on plants and animals. Young Horace Mann wrote more than a dozen letters back to his mother in Massachusetts. This is what he wrote about his experiences . Lake Calhoun Minn. Friday June 7, 1861 Dear Mother, You see by the date of this letter that we are staying at a house on the edge of Lake Calhoun. It is a beautiful sheet of water, perhaps a mile and a half or three quarters the longest way and nearly a mile the other way in breadth; it has an outlet by which it empties itself into Lake Harriet, which lies a little ways to the SE of here, and that again into the Minnehaha and goes over the falls. We are staying at the house of a Mrs. Hamilton, a widow, and one of the first settlers near this lake. The house is surrounded with very thick woods which is full of great big mosquitoes (sic), so when you walk in them, particularly near twilight, they swarm around you in such a cloud that you can hardly see through them. There are also a great many pigeons in the woods, back of the house, (though I should hardly know them from a mosquito here by size) which are breeding, and 1 found the nest of one this afternoon which had but one egg in it which I took. The lake is full of fishes a-rid we have them at every meal almost. I went into St. Anthony this morning where I put some birds and clams in alcohol and got some blotting paper to press flowers with and I have just been putting some away to press under the bed post. The trees around here are not very large ones, and the fires seem to have run through the woods all around here and killed a great many of the trees. The "oak openings" on the prairies consist of small oaks -cattered around at some distance (I to 10 rods) from one another and where the fire has not run for several years the hazel bushes spring up; also little oaks and aspens, and after a little longer basswood trees ... It is pretty wann weather here all the time now. We had a thunder storm last night but I did not know it till I got up this morning. W. Thoreau and I went in sw g this afternoon and then we went to walk and we came to a pond hole near some woods which was full of shells and frogs... Mr. Thoreau continues to get better and I am very well of course. We drink lake water here. I will write more before I send this letter, so Good Night, Your loving son Horace Mann >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The Thoreau party later returned to Walden's Pond. A year later, on May 6, 1862, Henry David Thoreau died of tuberculosis at age 44. He left our neighborhood a spiritual gift, the poem, 'A Different Drummer," which he wrote earlier in his career, but which could be describing our neighborhood: "Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? "If a man not keep pace, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. "Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." - Henry David Thoreau >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> More information about Thoreau and Mann's travels is in Thoreau's Minnesota Journey: Thoreau's Notes on the Journey West, or The Letters of Horace Mann Jr., edited by Walter Harding, Thoreau Society Booklet #16, 1962. Thoreau's Minnesota Diary June 5 - Lake Calhoun. Hear s@pe, loon and orchard oriole. June 6 - Young eagle eating blue jay over an island in Minnetonka Lake. Alum root in bloom at last, June 7 - Lake Calhoun area. Hoary puccoon in flower. The prevailing goldenrod on these prairies is the Solidago rigida (stiff goldenrod), judging from the rudimentary leaf and withered stem and head. June 11 - Lake Calhoun. Loons said to nest on old muskrat houses. Found a cluster of wild crabapple trees. **************Big savings on Dell XPS Laptops and Desktops! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1220433404x1201394533/aol?redir=htt… eclick.net%2Fclk%3B214133109%3B36002181%3Bk)

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SB-461 does not protect WV streams
by duane330＠aol.com 08 Apr '09

08 Apr '09

West Virginia Environmental Council Action Alert April 8, 2009 WVEC Alerts Archive Bad Bill Passes out of committee – goes to House Floor – please help! SB 461 – (Selenium bill) Passed out of the House Judiciary Committee today! It now will move to the House floor for the full body to vote for or against. Please contact your representatives in the House of Delegates. Anyone and everyone! Tell them to vote against this awful piece of legislation. SB 461 is a terrible bill that gives the coal industry a more than two-year extension to comply with water quality standards for the toxic selenium they discharge from their mining operations. Capitol Phone: 1 877-565-3447 – you can leave a message for any member of the House of Delegates. Capitol web-site: www.legis.state.wv.us - find your Delegate(s) and leave message there. Talking Points / Facts: This is a change in water quality standards. The federal Clean Water Act, administered by the EPA, requires public notice and a 45-day comment period for any change proposed to a state’s water quality standards. West Virginia regulations also require public notice and a 45-day comment period for any change proposed to a state’s water quality standards. The water quality standard change proposed in SB 461 did not have public notice, did not have a 45-day public comment period, did not go through the Legislature’s regular rule-making20process, and was never considered by the Joint Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee. The extension proposed in SB 461 will NOT be approved by EPA. Randy Huffman, Secretary of the WV Department of Environmental Protection, has stated publicly that he opposes SB 461 and expects the coal industry “to meet the deadline of April 2010.” Selenium is a naturally occurring mineral element that is found is many rocks and soils. In very tiny amounts, it is an antioxidant and is needed for good health. But in only slightly greater amounts, selenium is highly toxic. In humans, it can cause hair loss, nail brittleness and neurological problems such as numbness. In aquatic life, very small amounts of selenium have been found to cause reproductive failure.” In 2003 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists found “troubling” amounts of selenium in fish downstream from mountaintop removal mine sites. Dennis Lemly, the nation’s foremost authority on selenium, has warned that pollution from a Magnum coal operation in West Virginia is dangerously poisoning Mud River fish, leaving some with serious deformities. Fish samples taken by state officials showed some specimens with two eyes on one side of the head, and others with curved spines, according to Lemly’s report.

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HR 1682. Cap and Dividend Bill now in US Congress
by duane330＠aol.com 08 Apr '09

08 Apr '09

The climate answer: cut carbon, get money, save Earth To:? MVCAC & CLEAR.?? From:? Mike Tidwell, USCEC.??? Date:? April 7, 2009 Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, one of the highest ranking members of the U.S. House of Representatives, introduced the Cap and Dividend Act of 2009 on April 1st. Read more about H.R. 1682 here.?The proposal will help solve the climate crisis, help our economy grow and help working families prosper. It is simple, transparent and fair. Contact your local Congressional representative to ask him or her?to sign on as a co-sponsor of this important piece of legislation. Take action>> Climate leader Bill McKibben supports this bill: "Simplicity is its own virtue sometimes, and this is one of them. Van Hollen's bill sets out a straightforward mechanism for reducing carbon in the atmosphere in a way that will actually be popular with voters. It's the most innovative, yet obvious, piece of climate legislation in the 20 years I've been following this battle." Van Hollen, Co-Chair of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus, explained his initiative in this way: "The strength of cap and dividend lies in its simplicity and durability. All permits are sold at auction, and all proceeds are given back to the American people. As the price of energy rises, the monthly dividends will keep American consumers whole. "At its core, any successful climate change bill cannot just reduce carbon emissions. It must attract and retain the long-term, popular support of the American people. I believe the cap and dividend approach offers the best chance to get the job done." The legislation will cut carbon pollution to 10% below 1990 levels by 2020, the strongest?target proposed in federal legislation so far (although CCAN believes that target should be strengthened). It auctions 100% of the carbon permits--instead of giving them away to large polluters--and allows for no potentially complex "carbon offsets" of any kind. It will spur economic investment and innovation and create millions of jobs in clean energy. It returns every penny of higher carbon prices to citizens on a monthly, per capita basis. Every American, every month, will receive an "Energy Security Dividend." This is the kind of bill we need to break through the political logjam on Capitol Hill. Please contact your Congressperson now. ? See Also:? http://www.capanddividend.org/ Sincerely, Mike Tidwell Director, USCEC

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Earth Hour. Saturday @ 8:30 pm
by Duane330＠aol.com 24 Mar '09

24 Mar '09

Turn out. Take action. Be part of this historic event. March 28, 2009, 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, local time World Wildlife Fund is asking individuals, businesses, governments and organizations around the world to turn off their lights for one hour – Earth Hour – to make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate commitment to finding solutions. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> For more information, see the following web-site..... _http://www.earthhourus.org/main.php_ (http://www.earthhourus.org/main.php) **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1220085203x1201389322/aol?redir=htt… %3D62%26bcd%3DMarchfooterNO62)

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Report on Triennial Review meeting
by duane330＠aol.com 19 Mar '09

19 Mar '09

? To:? Members and Friends of the Cheat Lake Environment & Recreation Association...... Peggy Pings has done a rather good job of summarizing the meeting of last Wednesday. Duane >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> From:? Peggy Pings......................... I went to the meeting on 3/11, but there were only 4 of us who were not part of AP or contractors. The good news is that AP will do a trial year of keeping the trail open 12 months, starting now.? It is open now, the entire 4.5 miles. They will also build the hiking trail in the 140-acre woods at the end, with interp panels & bike rack & shelter. They will also build a small boat dock at the far end by the point, so paddlers can tie up & use the trail, also for?AP's own emergency needs.? ? If the county or DOH will hang directional signs, AP will have them made.? Not sure who will follow up on that.? I think the DNR would like a road sign showing the river access ramp also, so maybe Frank Jernecjic will lead. ? They also agreed a number of years ago to make the "at grade" link to the Sheepskin, once the Sheepskin is built... at least past the power station to the road.? Getting a big bridge or two rebuilt is not likely, unless Fayette County includes it in their contract for the other 6 bridges along Grassy Run.? ? Spread the word. ? Peggy

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Water Network meeting Tuesday
by Duane330＠aol.com 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

ANNOUNCEMENT ~PLEASE PASS THIS ANNOUNCEMENT ALONG TO OTHERS THAT MAY BE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING! The West Virginia Watershed Network (WVWN) is planning to hold its semi-annual meeting in Morgantown on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. The meeting will be conducted as a forum where speakers from multiple agencies will provide information about ongoing statewide water sampling programs with emphasis on purpose, data collection process, data storage and access. The Forum agenda is available on the WVWN web site at: _http://www.wvca.us/wvwn/wvwn_events.cfm_ (http://www.wvca.us/wvwn/wvwn_events.cfm) . (Note…..notification of changes to or cancellation of the forum will be posted on this website, so please check for updates before traveling to the event.) The meeting is open to all interested persons at no cost. The meeting will be held at the National Research Center for Coal and Energy (NRCCE) on Evansdale Campus at West Virginia University in room 101 AB. For directions to the NRCCE go to: _http://www.nrcce.wvu.edu/directions.cfm_ (http://www.nrcce.wvu.edu/directions.cfm) *Note… Lunch is brown bag. Free parking is available at the WVU Coliseum, where a shuttle bus runs every ten minutes. See the above website for the location of paid parking near the NRCCE building, however it is our understanding, if your vehicle has state or federal license you can park anywhere at no cost. *Contacts: Rick Buckley OSM 304-347-7162 x3019 Jim Laine WVDEP/DWWM 304-926-0499 x1061 Clairene Bailey OSM 304-347-7158 The West Virginia Watershed Network is an informal group of state and federal agencies, as well as nonprofit groups, committed to providing resources for watershed management in West Virginia. The West Virginia Watershed Network has a mission to collaboratively support efforts necessary to empower local residents to make decisions for sustainable management of their resources. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> “West Virginia Forum on Statewide Water Sampling Programs” Tuesday, March 17, 2008 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. National Research Center for Coal and Energy (NRCCE) Room 101 AB Evansdale Campus at West Virginia University, Morgantown WV Open to the Public and No Cost to Attend Sponsored by the West Virginia Watershed Network AGENDA 10:00 am Welcome and Logistics – Jim Laine (WV DEP) 10:05 am Water Monitoring Data Uses and Current Issues – Patrick Campbell (WV DEP) TMDL update, Marcellus Shale, Selenium 10:15 am USGS Flow Gauges/USGS databases – Doug Chambers 10:35 am EPA Region III Water Quality Exchange (WQX) database – Lou Reynolds 10:55 am Ohio River Sanitization Commission (ORSANCO) Ohio River Program – Sam Dinkins 11:15 am WV DEP Watershed Assessments – John Wirts 11:35 am WV Department of Agriculture – Matt Monroe 11:55 am Lunch (Brown Bag) 1:00 pm WV DEP Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) – Shelia Vukovich 1:10 pm WV DEP Special Reclamation (Bond Forfeiture) – Alyce Lee 1:20 pm WV DEP Division of Water & Waste Management - NPDES – Bob Bates 1:35 pm WV DEP Division of Mining and Reclamation - NPDES Article 11 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) Article 3 Mining & Trend Network Information – Ken Politan 2:00 pm WV Division of Natural Resources (TBA) 2:15 pm Friends of Cheat – Keith Pitzer 2:30 pm Break 2:40 pm WV Department of Health & Human Resources – Rick Shaver 2:55 pm WV Save Our Streams (WV SOS) Program – Tim Craddock 3:10 pm WV DEP GIS information – Larry Evans 3:30 pm Wrap-up/Comments Presenter Speaking Points Introduction to the Agency including Agency mission Sampling Plans- purpose for sampling with brief explanation (regulatory, research, program mandate, trends, etc) Locations – How are locations determined? How are locations recorded (GPS)? Collection – Type of collection (grab, composite or continuous) Parameters sampled – water chemistry (pH, dissolved oxygen, fecal, etc) Is flow monitoring included? Does the organization do macroinvertebrate sampling? Frequency of Sampling – how often are samples collected? Analysis - Field or laboratory Agency or contract laboratory Analytical methods reference Data Storage – Paper or electronic Agency database or stand alone Is GIS data available? (Type and date of coverage) Contact for GIS files or questions Data Availability - Is it available to the public Web based system or must it be requested (Is a Freedom of Information Act request required?) Overview of future monitoring plans – brief and concise Final Points Any website links you would like to provide? Identify any reports generated based on sampling program and how reports are accessed (electronic / hard copy) Identify contacts in your organization for follow-up questions or additional information. ~PLEASE PASS THIS ANNOUNCEMENT ALONG TO OTHERS THAT MAY BE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING! **************Need a job? Find employment help in your area. (http://yellowpages.aol.com/search?query=employment_agencies&ncid=emlcntusye…)

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Cheat Lake drawdown in progress .. .
by Duane330＠aol.com 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

NOTICE. The following ad was on Page 2-A of today's Dominion Post. This indicates that the Lake is being drawn down some 11.5 feet from the 870 elevation. This is necessary to permit maintenance work on the Lake Lynn Dam itself. This drawdown provides an opportunity for dock owners to perform maintenance work around the Lake. Duane Nichols, Cheat Lake Environment & Recreation Association. See also the following web site: _www.cheatlaketoday.com_ (http://www.cheatlaketoday.com) **************Need a job? Find employment help in your area. (http://yellowpages.aol.com/search?query=employment_agencies&ncid=emlcntusye…)

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7pm Wed. Cheat Lake Fire Hall
by Duane330＠aol.com 09 Mar '09

09 Mar '09

Note. The Triennial Review meeting for the Cheat Lake Park and Trail is this coming Wednesday evening, March 11th, at 7 pm at the Cheat Lake Fire Hall. This is an important meeting. Competing events are the Big East basketball tournament, WVU vs. Notre Dame; and, there is a protest in Morgantown regarding the Darwin series speakers. I'll be at the Cheat Lake Fire Hall at 7pm the catch what is left of the other two. Duane Nichols. p.s. If you cannot attend, but have comments or wish to support the position of CLEAR, please send me an email so that I can be vocal about the important topics. Thank you very much. duane330(a)aol.com **************Need a job? Find employment help in your area. (http://yellowpages.aol.com/search?query=employment_agencies&ncid=emlcntusye…)

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DRAFT-Recreation Plan Update comments
by Duane330＠aol.com 27 Feb '09

27 Feb '09

CHEAT LAKE ENVIRONMENT AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION DRAFT—please comment a.s.a.p. Date: March 2, 2009 [see _www.cheatlaketoday.com_ (http://www.cheatlaketoday.com) ] Charles L. Simons, Recreation & Environmental Affairs Allegheny Energy Supply Company 4350 Northern Pike Monroeville, PA 15146-2841 Subject: Lake Lynn Hydro Station FERC Project No. 2459, License Article 417. 2009 RECREATION PLAN UPDATE CLEAR agrees with the conclusion that the “winter boat launch facility” near the Park headquarters, on the peninsula, should be open for usage only after the “summer pool height” season has passed. That is when it is needed, and that is when it’s usage will not interfere with the users of the Park and Trail. CLEAR believes that significant upgrades are needed at the end of the South Trail, for year-round support of trail users. First, the “observation deck” formerly located there should be re-established with a floating platform in the Lake to permit temporary tie-ups for small boats, as canoes or small motor craft, so as to provide access from the Lake to the end of the trail. This would also serve security, law-enforcement and recreation activities. Secondly, a bicycle rack and a picnic table should be located at the end of the trail to serve the recreational activities already present. If trail users were able to lock their bicycles to a rack, this would free the individual(s) for walking into the Cheat Haven Wildlife Viewing Area. CLEAR is supportive of a “primitive walking trail” in the Cheat Haven Wildlife Viewing Area. We have had some involvement with the on-going effort to establish this trail, which would benefit from appropriate signage and/or postings. CLEAR believes that the “privileged permit sites” should be administered via a set of rules that are known to the public and that annual statistics should be reported on the exact number of sites, the number of years each site has been leased by the same individual or family (with a limit of 5 years in the future for each site), and the charge made by AE for each site. Procedures which are fair and just to the public would involve a rotational procedure that provided an opportunity to the public to participate in these sites. At present, we suspect that a family can hold a site indefinitely passing it down from one generation to another. The current condition of many sites is “poor ”. That is, there is substantial debris on a number of the sites, there are permanent structures on a number of them, and there appears to be no common standard for their maintenance. CLEAR believes that the gate at Manning Run which limits access to the South Trail during the winter months could be opened during the daylight hours so as to permit hiking or cross-country ski access. There is little or no demonstrated security risk that justifies excluding hikers or skiers during the winter months. The primary facilities that need to be protected are north of the Manning Run gate. CLEAR believes that the Lake level should be reduced by one or two feet during the summer boating season, particularly on week-ends and holidays, to reduce the shore-line erosion from boat wake, given that the current level of strong waves during these periods is substantially eroding the shoreline at many locations. CLEAR recommends and is supportive of a study of the “carrying capacity” of Cheat Lake for boating (various types), fishing (various types), hiking, camping, docking, etc. The 19 picnic sites on the hillside loop are rarely used, so this area could be restructured to permit overnight camping for individual families, with a limit of three days stay, for example. AE admits that “ the least used facility is the picnic tables located in the picnic loop and near the Lake.” [See page 7 of the AE Recreation Plan Update, dated February 2009.] CLEAR believes that it is important to note that swimming is occurring in Cheat Lake, at a number of locations. This is primarily off boats moored in the Ruble Run and Morgan Run backwaters, at the Emma Kaufmann Camp, and off many of the various docks around the Lake. Swimming is not uncommon at the Old Iron Bridge, under the Interstate Bridge, and off the old piers of the former bridge over the Manning Run backwater. It would be reasonable to authorize CLEAR to establish a limited swimming area for children at the Mill Stone Point, which is adjacent to the “day-use boat docks” and the “fish cleaning station”. CLEAR believes that a Ranger should be hired to work five days each week during the summer months in support of recreation, health and safety, and security at the Park and Trail. This ranger would be knowledgeable in the fields of recreation and the environment as well as the history of the region. The ranger would also be authorized to provide security functions for the Park and Trail. Given current level of usage of the Park and Trail as well as the level of boating and fishing involved with the Lake, this is an overdue feature for the facilities involved. CLEAR is supportive of the establishment of a “Sheepskin Trail” that would extend from north of the area, to interface with the Cheat Lake Park and Trail at the Dam, that would extend over to and through Pt. Marion, PA, and then south along the Monongahela River to the WV State Line. We are submitting these “initial comments” by the published deadline of March 2, 2009 and intend to participate in the Public Meeting at the Cheat Lake Fire Hall on Wednesday, March 11, 2009. We reserve the opportunity to extend or clarify our comments for two weeks after the Public Meeting. Duane G. Nichols Duane G. Nichols, President Cheat Lake Environment & Recreation Association 330 Dream Catcher Circle Morgantown, WV 26508 **************Get a jump start on your taxes. Find a tax professional in your neighborhood today. (http://yellowpages.aol.com/search?query=Tax+Return+Preparation+%26+Filing&n…)

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Cheat Lake Park/Trail - comments due Feb 29!
by Peggy Pings 15 Feb '09

15 Feb '09

All, Friends of Cheat Lake Trail, the rail-trail community, the Mon County/Morgantown bike-ped boards, and WV State Trails Coordinator Bill Robinson, Spread the word.... Please read the attached 1.5 MB file. It is the Cheat Lake Park/Trail Recreation Update, found at: http://www.cheatlaketoday.com/ Have you been to the Cheat Lake Park & Trail before? Opened in June 2000, it is a 4.5 mile rail-trail, and 263 acre park, that includes the "140-acre Cheat Haven Peninsula nature viewing area". It is all owned & managed by Allegheny Power, as part of their hydropower license with FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission). They are undergoing their Triennial Review requirements, to prove that they are meeting the public need. It is my personal opinion that they have a lot more they could be doing to better meet the public need. Feb 29. Written comments are due. Chuck Simon's email is csimons(a)alleghenyenergy.com Mar 11. Public meeting, 7pm, Cheat Lake VFD. ( mailto:csimons@alleghenyenergy.com ) Read on..... ------------- Here's a couple quick thoughts, and yes, I think letters are in order from whoever wants the Cheat Lake Park/Trail improved: Proposed Changes Page 8. Sec 3.4. "As previously stated, the recreational facilities provided are meeting the demonstrated demand for the general use for this area. Based on an evaluation of the usage figures the facilities are adequate for non-peak period demand. AE will continue to monitor usage to determine if any changes are warranted; however, at this time, no changes to the type, access and operation of facilities is proposed in this update." Hiking Trail. Yes, we should support the trail system, but we (the group) are suggesting a single-track dirt trail, nothing more. I would like to see this trail system link up into the Greystone community, slipping in from the wooded edge of the golf course to the roads, so the neighborhood that is not adjacent will have better bike/ped access. Need interpretive & directional signs, a little trailhead to park bikes safely while you walk the trail, and control of invasive species mentioned. Page 4. Sec 2.4. "The 140 acre Cheat Haven Peninsula area was designed to allow hikers to leave the hiking/biking trail and hike through the woods. AE is currently working with several individuals in the development of a primitive walking trail in this area. If an agreement can be reached, AE will include this new trail as part of this Plan Update and will file for an amendment with the FERC, if required. AE believes that a developed walking trail will help eliminate the possible destruction of habitat because individuals will be directed through the viewing area." Public Access Docks. Did you notice all 5 docks have been removed? Now, the visiting public has even worse access to the water. The map on page 26 shows where they used to be (as if they are still there). Page 3. Sec 2.2. "The five public access decks have been removed due to safety concerns. Over the last several years, vandalism of the locking pins and general horseplay on the access docks has lead to their removal. Also, in several locations with the shoreline shifting, several of the stairways were rendered unsafe and have been removed.The five public access decks have been removed due to safety concerns. Over the last several years, vandalism of the locking pins and general horseplay on the access docks has lead to their removal. Also, in several locations with the shoreline shifting, several of the stairways were rendered unsafe and have been removed." Trail Closure. The southern 3.1 miles is still closed to the public 4 months of the year (Nov1-Mar1). This has always been Totally Unacceptable to everyone, except a few adjacent Greystone landowners up high on the hill! Folks, winter conditions are not a problem for rail-trails, as they have repeatedly suggested! No other rail-trails that I know of close down for the winter. It looks like perhaps Page 3. Sec 2.2. "After the previous Recreation Plan Update (RPU) in 2006, AE did agree to open the the Southern Trail two additional months each year. This section of trail is now open from March 1 through October 31st." Management. Nothing on proposed/improved management changes (Bruce Miller's written proposal), nor changes made over the years -- this has been very secretive - not transparent at all. It should be managed as a community park, and it is not. For the amount of money AP spends on security and maintenance, we could have a very nicely managed regional park. The security guy is nice enough, but not welcoming. In fact, he has told me that "this is private property" when I stopped into his office one afternoon, making me feel unwelcome (but I knew better... that it was free & open to the public). There is no promotion of the Park/Trail, except word of mouth, and a really bad website that hardly anyone knows about. Directional Signs are missing along Rt 857. The map at the parking area has bad water/sun damage & cannot be read. There are no decent maps/brochures available. There are no events / activities. The park/trail is over 50% underutilized -- I can guess why. Page 7. Sec 3.1. "Most of the facilities at Cheat Lake Park and Trail are currently being used at less than 50% capacity for off-peak weekend days." I have plenty more ideas for improvement. What can you come up with? Peggy Pings 304-879-5622 home mpings(a)wvu.edu

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