Earlier this month American Whitewater filed comments on the "assessment phase" of the forest planning process for the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests in Western North Carolina.  At this stage the Forest Service is interested in gathering scientific information sources and getting a feel for topics the public would like addressed through the planning process.  

American Whitewater highlighted opportunities for enhancing the great work already done in the region in partnership with hydropower operators.  Specifically, the Cheoah, Tuckasegee, Nantahala, and Pigeon rivers are recreation drivers in the region and should be managed accordingly.  

In addition we offered support for rivers that the USFS now considers eligible for Wild and Scenic designation, and proposed a list of rivers for additional consideration.  Lastly we encouraged sound management of the Wild and Scenic rivers currently under the Forests' jurisdiction.  

As this process continues we will keep paddlers in the loop regarding how to participate, and will continue our efforts to protect more rivers using the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.  

You can read our comments via the link in the document box to the right of this article.