VWC Newsletter - August 2007
VWC ANNUAL MEETING
The VWC faithful gathered on Saturday, August 4th, at the picnic grounds in Hone Quarry to hear the latest wilderness news, to enjoy the good company, and to recharge batteries for the fight ahead. Jim Murray and Mark Miller gave an account of the skirmishes over the Virginia Ridge and Valley Bill in Congress. The big news is that the bill has had its mark-up in the full Natural Resources Committee of the House. Congressman Grijalva (D-AZ), the Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands did an excellent job of shepherding the bill before the full Committee. Despite a series of poison-pill amendments offered by western congressmen, it passed unscathed out of the Committee by voice vote. The report of the mark-up was being filed in Congress on the day that the VWC met. The sober news is that the Agriculture Committee has announced its intention to exercise jurisdiction over the bill. Just what that means is not clear, whether there will be a hearing, a mark-up, or what. In any case that Committee will have a limited time to act and limited opportunity to change the content. Meanwhile there are stirrings in the Senate, so keep your eyes open for new developments!
Mark Miller reported continuing progress on the new volume of Virginia Mountain Treasures covering 63 great areas in the George Washington National Forest. (Number 63 is the recently added Cove Mountain, a 2,500-acre semi-primitive, non-motorized area in the GW, but entirely in West Virginia.) The new booklet will be a companion to the VMT volume on the Jefferson, out of which the Virginia Ridge and Valley Bill has grown. We are now looking for organizations willing to co-sponsor the publication. If you know of a business or sports group or environmental organization that is a potential sponsor, please let Mark know about it.
As we reported last time, the Forest Service has responded to court challenges of the planning regulations by essentially stopping work on the GW plan revision. Until they get their act together, the VWC will spend the intervening time studying the Mountain Treasures for various sorts of protective designations, of which one will clearly be wilderness. If you would like to choose a particular favorite area to research thoroughly, let us know your preference. When planning resumes we want to be able to field a formidable array of experts to speak on behalf of these special places. To keep up with what's going on with the various organizations, check out the coalition website at forestsforthefuture.org.
Our faithful Treasurer, Julie Simpson, reported that the VWC is still afloat financially. We go into the new year with a balance that has declined a little, but not seriously. Check your label to see whether it is time for you to contribute once more.
The election of officers for the coming year produced no surprises. Your president has agreed to serve for just one more year. There will however be a change of address, since Bess and Jim are turning their house over to their daughter and moving next door to a cottage at 1625 Bentivar Farm Rd. Lynn Cameron reported for the Nominating Committee that the rest of the officers had also agreed to stay on (see below). The Executive Committee, which by our constitution and by-laws consists of the current officers and the past president will be expanded to add Pete Bsumek as an ad hoc member. We welcome him aboard.
CAROL LENA COMPLETES A YEAR
And finally we should not let the anniversary of Carol Lena Miller's joining (becoming?) the staff of the VWC pass without comment. Carol Lena has made herself indispensable to the Committee, with her technical skills, her enthusiasm for the wild places of the GW, her winning way with people, and her steadfast commitment to the ideal of wilderness protection. Thank you, Carol Lena.
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President: Jim Murray, 1625 Bentivar Farm Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22911 (434-973-6693)
Vice-Pres: Mark Miller, 62 Big Hill Rd., Lexington, VA 24450 (540-464-3110)
Treasurer: Juliana Simpson, 634 64th St. South Haven, MI 49090 (540- 539-1458)
Secretary: Laura Neale, 423 Sheep Creek Lane, Fairfield, VA 24435 (540-261-1909)
Wilderness Coordinator: Carol Lena Miller, 4939 Ottobine Rd., Dayton, VA 22821 (540-879-2127)
The VWC faithful gathered on Saturday, August 4th, at the picnic grounds in Hone Quarry to hear the latest wilderness news, to enjoy the good company, and to recharge batteries for the fight ahead. Jim Murray and Mark Miller gave an account of the skirmishes over the Virginia Ridge and Valley Bill in Congress. The big news is that the bill has had its mark-up in the full Natural Resources Committee of the House. Congressman Grijalva (D-AZ), the Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands did an excellent job of shepherding the bill before the full Committee. Despite a series of poison-pill amendments offered by western congressmen, it passed unscathed out of the Committee by voice vote. The report of the mark-up was being filed in Congress on the day that the VWC met. The sober news is that the Agriculture Committee has announced its intention to exercise jurisdiction over the bill. Just what that means is not clear, whether there will be a hearing, a mark-up, or what. In any case that Committee will have a limited time to act and limited opportunity to change the content. Meanwhile there are stirrings in the Senate, so keep your eyes open for new developments!
Mark Miller reported continuing progress on the new volume of Virginia Mountain Treasures covering 63 great areas in the George Washington National Forest. (Number 63 is the recently added Cove Mountain, a 2,500-acre semi-primitive, non-motorized area in the GW, but entirely in West Virginia.) The new booklet will be a companion to the VMT volume on the Jefferson, out of which the Virginia Ridge and Valley Bill has grown. We are now looking for organizations willing to co-sponsor the publication. If you know of a business or sports group or environmental organization that is a potential sponsor, please let Mark know about it.
As we reported last time, the Forest Service has responded to court challenges of the planning regulations by essentially stopping work on the GW plan revision. Until they get their act together, the VWC will spend the intervening time studying the Mountain Treasures for various sorts of protective designations, of which one will clearly be wilderness. If you would like to choose a particular favorite area to research thoroughly, let us know your preference. When planning resumes we want to be able to field a formidable array of experts to speak on behalf of these special places. To keep up with what's going on with the various organizations, check out the coalition website at forestsforthefuture.org.
Our faithful Treasurer, Julie Simpson, reported that the VWC is still afloat financially. We go into the new year with a balance that has declined a little, but not seriously. Check your label to see whether it is time for you to contribute once more.
The election of officers for the coming year produced no surprises. Your president has agreed to serve for just one more year. There will however be a change of address, since Bess and Jim are turning their house over to their daughter and moving next door to a cottage at 1625 Bentivar Farm Rd. Lynn Cameron reported for the Nominating Committee that the rest of the officers had also agreed to stay on (see below). The Executive Committee, which by our constitution and by-laws consists of the current officers and the past president will be expanded to add Pete Bsumek as an ad hoc member. We welcome him aboard.
CAROL LENA COMPLETES A YEAR
And finally we should not let the anniversary of Carol Lena Miller's joining (becoming?) the staff of the VWC pass without comment. Carol Lena has made herself indispensable to the Committee, with her technical skills, her enthusiasm for the wild places of the GW, her winning way with people, and her steadfast commitment to the ideal of wilderness protection. Thank you, Carol Lena.
*************************************
President: Jim Murray, 1625 Bentivar Farm Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22911 (434-973-6693)
Vice-Pres: Mark Miller, 62 Big Hill Rd., Lexington, VA 24450 (540-464-3110)
Treasurer: Juliana Simpson, 634 64th St. South Haven, MI 49090 (540- 539-1458)
Secretary: Laura Neale, 423 Sheep Creek Lane, Fairfield, VA 24435 (540-261-1909)
Wilderness Coordinator: Carol Lena Miller, 4939 Ottobine Rd., Dayton, VA 22821 (540-879-2127)