VWC Newsletter - April 1994
Mount Pleasant Hearing Successfully Held April 12
by Ernie Dickerman
A highly successful hearing on the Mount Pleasant National Scenic Area bill, H.R. 2942, was held before the House Agriculture Committee at Washington on Tuesday April 12(changed from April 13). Witnesses testified unanimously in support of the bill, with one exception. Congressman Robert Goodlatte testified first, speaking briefly but convincingly in support of his excellent bill and offered his strengthening amendments. Chairman Roy Wood of the Amherst County Board of Supervisors, accompanied by Dan French, Director of Amherst County Public Utilities, declared the Board's unanimous support of the bill. Lynn Cameron, President of the Virginia Wilderness Committee, spoke effectively, pointing out the benefits to be gained by enactment of the bill. Ernie Dickerman testified on behalf of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, as Chairman of its Wilderness Committee. Biff Bowen, a local resident from the Lynchburg area, gave his reasons for needing this legislation.
All these witnesses stressed their approval of Rep. Goodlatte's amendments which add protection and preservation of the area's "natural characteristics" among its purposes; replace the word "habitat" with the word "clearings" so that only existing wildlife clearings would be subject to modifying the plant life; and include a new section 3(k) prohibiting all mining, drilling for oil and gas, and geothermal extraction.
National Audubon Society, National Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society all filed supporting written statements with the Agriculture Committee.
The one negative witness was the Forest Service, probably from ingrained habit, and represented by the Acting Associate Deputy Chief from Washington headquarters.
After the hearing, half a dozen of us called at the offices of all Virginia's Representatives, reported the favorable committee hearing, and thanked them for their co-sponsoring of the Mount Pleasant bill. Then we went to the offices of Senators Warner and Robb, giving their aides a full account of the Mount Pleasant campaign, and requesting the full cooperation of the Senators to move the bill through the Senate.
Remarkably all members of the Virginia House delegation, Republicans and Democrats, co-sponsored H.R. 2942! This unanimous support of the bill is due to the intensive effort of Rep. Goodlatte, aided by his staff Rob Van Renterghem. Additionally Rep. Goodlatte persuaded some 15 or 20 members of the House Agriculture Committee (on which he sits) to co-sponsor the bill. This kind of broad, fundamental support gives us optimism that H.R. 2942 as amended will in due course be passed by the House.
NOW THE TIME HAS COME FOR ALL OF US TO ENCOURAGE OUR TWO SENATORS JOHN WARNER AND CHARLES ROBB (ADDRESS UNITED STATES SENATE, WASHINGTON DC 20510) TO INTRODUCE A SIMILAR BILL TO H.R. 2942, MOUNT PLEASANT NATIONAL SCENIC AREA, AND TO DO WHAT IS NEEDED TO GET IT PASSED BY THE SENATE THIS YEAR.
Until it seemed reasonably sure that we could count on enactment of this Mount Pleasant bill by the House, it was most effective to concentrate our efforts on key members of the House, because Senators usually are reluctant to do anything about wilderness-protection bills until the House has acted. While it is still desirable to let your Congress-person know that you want him/her to vote for H.R. 2942 when it reaches the House floor, most important now is that both Senators Warner and Robb immediately hear from Virginians all over the state asking each to introduce a Mount Pleasant bill like H.R. 2942 and then act to move it through the Senate. As you understand, both Congressmen and Senators want to know what their constituents want -- what will win votes for them come the next November election. That is how the system works. Let your own letters influence Senators Warner and Robb in this positive way!
With this successful hearing before the House Agriculture Committee, Virginians and numerous supporting organizations are well on the way to winning permanent, effective protection of the beauty, biodiversity and other natural features of Mount Pleasant. Let's keep rolling by enlisting Virginia's Senators John Warner and Charles Robb actively in this campaign. Your individual letter to each of them can do it!
CorrectionIn the March, 1994 VWC Newsletter, the article on Laurel Fork stated incorrectly that the six existing capped gas wells are within the Laurel Fork Roadless Area. The six existing wells are outside the boundary of the roadless area.
Officers
PRESIDENT Lynn Cameron 95 Hope St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (703) 434-1318
VICE PRES Dan French 107 Merry Acres Dr., Madison Heights, VA 24572 (703) 845-1605
TREASURER Julie Simpson P.O. Box 3889, Winchester, VA 22604 (703) 662-7043
SECRETARY R.D. Floyd Rt. 1, Box 510A, Tye River, VA 22922 (804) 263-5003
by Ernie Dickerman
A highly successful hearing on the Mount Pleasant National Scenic Area bill, H.R. 2942, was held before the House Agriculture Committee at Washington on Tuesday April 12(changed from April 13). Witnesses testified unanimously in support of the bill, with one exception. Congressman Robert Goodlatte testified first, speaking briefly but convincingly in support of his excellent bill and offered his strengthening amendments. Chairman Roy Wood of the Amherst County Board of Supervisors, accompanied by Dan French, Director of Amherst County Public Utilities, declared the Board's unanimous support of the bill. Lynn Cameron, President of the Virginia Wilderness Committee, spoke effectively, pointing out the benefits to be gained by enactment of the bill. Ernie Dickerman testified on behalf of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, as Chairman of its Wilderness Committee. Biff Bowen, a local resident from the Lynchburg area, gave his reasons for needing this legislation.
All these witnesses stressed their approval of Rep. Goodlatte's amendments which add protection and preservation of the area's "natural characteristics" among its purposes; replace the word "habitat" with the word "clearings" so that only existing wildlife clearings would be subject to modifying the plant life; and include a new section 3(k) prohibiting all mining, drilling for oil and gas, and geothermal extraction.
National Audubon Society, National Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society all filed supporting written statements with the Agriculture Committee.
The one negative witness was the Forest Service, probably from ingrained habit, and represented by the Acting Associate Deputy Chief from Washington headquarters.
After the hearing, half a dozen of us called at the offices of all Virginia's Representatives, reported the favorable committee hearing, and thanked them for their co-sponsoring of the Mount Pleasant bill. Then we went to the offices of Senators Warner and Robb, giving their aides a full account of the Mount Pleasant campaign, and requesting the full cooperation of the Senators to move the bill through the Senate.
Remarkably all members of the Virginia House delegation, Republicans and Democrats, co-sponsored H.R. 2942! This unanimous support of the bill is due to the intensive effort of Rep. Goodlatte, aided by his staff Rob Van Renterghem. Additionally Rep. Goodlatte persuaded some 15 or 20 members of the House Agriculture Committee (on which he sits) to co-sponsor the bill. This kind of broad, fundamental support gives us optimism that H.R. 2942 as amended will in due course be passed by the House.
NOW THE TIME HAS COME FOR ALL OF US TO ENCOURAGE OUR TWO SENATORS JOHN WARNER AND CHARLES ROBB (ADDRESS UNITED STATES SENATE, WASHINGTON DC 20510) TO INTRODUCE A SIMILAR BILL TO H.R. 2942, MOUNT PLEASANT NATIONAL SCENIC AREA, AND TO DO WHAT IS NEEDED TO GET IT PASSED BY THE SENATE THIS YEAR.
Until it seemed reasonably sure that we could count on enactment of this Mount Pleasant bill by the House, it was most effective to concentrate our efforts on key members of the House, because Senators usually are reluctant to do anything about wilderness-protection bills until the House has acted. While it is still desirable to let your Congress-person know that you want him/her to vote for H.R. 2942 when it reaches the House floor, most important now is that both Senators Warner and Robb immediately hear from Virginians all over the state asking each to introduce a Mount Pleasant bill like H.R. 2942 and then act to move it through the Senate. As you understand, both Congressmen and Senators want to know what their constituents want -- what will win votes for them come the next November election. That is how the system works. Let your own letters influence Senators Warner and Robb in this positive way!
With this successful hearing before the House Agriculture Committee, Virginians and numerous supporting organizations are well on the way to winning permanent, effective protection of the beauty, biodiversity and other natural features of Mount Pleasant. Let's keep rolling by enlisting Virginia's Senators John Warner and Charles Robb actively in this campaign. Your individual letter to each of them can do it!
CorrectionIn the March, 1994 VWC Newsletter, the article on Laurel Fork stated incorrectly that the six existing capped gas wells are within the Laurel Fork Roadless Area. The six existing wells are outside the boundary of the roadless area.
Officers
PRESIDENT Lynn Cameron 95 Hope St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (703) 434-1318
VICE PRES Dan French 107 Merry Acres Dr., Madison Heights, VA 24572 (703) 845-1605
TREASURER Julie Simpson P.O. Box 3889, Winchester, VA 22604 (703) 662-7043
SECRETARY R.D. Floyd Rt. 1, Box 510A, Tye River, VA 22922 (804) 263-5003