Chattooga - Amendment #14 River Management Plan

Alert!  The Forest Service released the Environmental Assessment (EA) regarding the proposed Amendment #14 on May 7, 2002. The deadline for comments is June 12, 2002.

Permits, reservation requirement, fees, access to the headwaters, and water quality are at stake. If you care about these issues, it is vitally important for you to submit comments on the new Amendment! This is true regardless of whether you've written other letters over the past three years. Time is of the essence and the deadline is rapidly approaching. The Forest Service's preferred alternative (alternative 4) is not good news for the river. And, if you think it's important enough to write comments, then encourage your boating partners to write too. For full details on the amendment 14 read more here. For additional background about other issues on the Chattooga read more here.

You can mail your comments to (remember they must be postmarked by June 12, 2002):

Mr. Michael Crane
District Ranger
Andrew Pickens Ranger District
112 Andrew Pickens Circle
Mountain Rest, SC 29664

Or better yet you can e-mail them right now!

Please remember to always include the following in your correspondence:
 

1.  Name, address, and (if possible) phone number

2. The title of the document you are commenting on: Recreational Boating Use on the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River - Amendment #14

You should make the following specific points in your letter or email:

1.    That you are a private whitewater boater and you are a member (or that you support) American Whitewater (Read American Whitewater's final draft comments)

2. You support Alternative 1 (AKA the "no-action alternative").

3.  You oppose Alternative 2 (the "Proposed Action" alternative).

4.  You could support Alternative 3 given some significant change and modification as recommended by American Whitewater.

5.  You strongly oppose Alternative 4 (AKA the "Forest Service preferred alternative"). You believe Alternative 4 will damage self-guided, private boater use and recreation opportunities, have no measurable environmental or social benefits, increase management obligations without obvious purpose or effect, and is inconsistent with Wild & Scenic management values.

6. That you oppose Alternative 5.

7.  That you are distressed that all alternatives evaluated in the environmental assessment for Amendment 14 dismiss overwhelming public support to restore boating access above Highway 28 and water quality improvements on Stekoa Creek and the other tributaries.

8. That you are equally dismayed that the preferred alternative ignores a substantial majority of public input opposed to the proposed changes in guided use and supportive of AW's proposed private boater allocations. State that you feel public opinion is not truly reflected in any of the alternatives evaluated in the EA except Alternative 1.

9.   And finally that you have serious reservations about the construction of the agency's preferred alternative and we question the agency's decision-making process. It would appear that the preferred alternative gives the commercial operator nearly all of what they have requested and ignores the input from private or self-guided boaters.

10. And of course make it personal and let them know how you feel deep down in your heart about the matter (but please be respectful).

Here is a sample email you might cut, paste and edit to your liking:

Date (make sure it is prior to June 12!)

Mr. Michael Crane
District Ranger
Andrew Pickens Ranger District
112 Andrew Pickens Circle
Mountain Rest, SC 29664

Re: Recreational Boating Use on the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River - Amendment #14

District Ranger Crane,

I am a whitewater boater and a member of American Whitewater. I support AW's position regarding Amendment 14.

I support Alternative 1, the "no action" alternative.

I am opposed to Alternatives 2 and 5.

I strongly oppose Alternative 4, the "preferred alternative". Alternative 4 will damage self-guided, private boater use and recreation opportunities, have no measurable environmental or social benefits, increase management obligations without obvious purpose or effect, and is inconsistent with Wild & Scenic management values.

I could support a version of Alternative 3 given some significant change and modification as recommended by American Whitewater.

I am distressed that the alternatives evaluated in the environmental assessment dismiss overwhelming public support to restore boating access above Highway 28 and water quality improvements on Stekoa Creek and other tributaries. I am equally dismayed that the preferred alternative ignores a substantial majority of public input that opposes the changes in guided use and is supportive of AW's proposed private boater allocations. You have not reflected the majority public opinion in any of the alternatives evaluated in the EA.

And finally, I have serious reservations about the construction of the agency's preferred alternative and question the agency's decision-making process. It would appear that the preferred alternative gives the commercial operator nearly all of what they have requested and ignores the input from private or self-guided boaters.


Sincerely,

Your Name, address, phone number