Legislative protection of our most outstanding public lands in Virginia always requires patience and persistence, and in some cases more than others.

Over the last few months, Mark Miller has been working with the Boards of Supervisors of Scott and Wise Counties on plans to protect some of the outstanding rivers in their counties.  Both Boards passed resolutions supporting the designation of Roaring Branch as Virginia's first Wild River under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.  They also recommended Scenic River status for Little Stoney Creek and parts of the Guest River, and National Recreation Trail status for the Little Stoney Trail and the Devils Fork Trail.

Unfortunately the proposed legislation never made it into the Congress.  As so often happens in southwest Virginia, concerns over privately held mineral rights led Congressman Boucher to postpone consideration of the legislation pending a review of the NEPA process by the Forest Service staff to determine what effect Wild and Scenic River designation might have on outstanding mineral rights.

We will keep you updated on any further developments.