Action Items

A private hydropower company has proposed to install hydropower generation facilities in two Army Corps of Engineers Dams on the West River (VT), including Ball Mountain Dam which provides releases into the popular whitewater section of the West. The Company, Blue Heron Hydro (BHH) is hosting a public meeting and site visit to discuss their proposal. Paddlers interested in the effects that the hydropower installation may have on the West River are encouraged to attend the meeting and site visit.

It's really rather simple - human-powered outdoor pursuits need a healthy climate. If the climate is out of balance, then our favorite ways to enjoy the outdoors can go from being degraded to actually disappearing. Check out a new short video on the topic, and consider taking action.

Right now the State of Colorado is accepting input on a management proposal for unroaded backcountry areas on Forest Service land including lands along Los Pinos, Piedra, Hermosa Creek, Mad Creek, Saint Vrain River, Conejos River, Lime Creek, Upper Animas River, Cache la Poudre, Elk River, and the Taylor River. Even though Americans already decided to protect ALL roadless areas in the Forest System through a federal plan in 2001, a plan that has been upheld in recent court decisions, the state continues to push a plan that includes some troubling provisions that impact the backcountry experience our community enjoys.

Currently, New Belgium Brewing Company is running a contest among water advocacy groups. The top vote recipient is eligible for a $10,000 grant. Please go to their website and vote for American Whitewater and help us restore more rivers!! http://www.newbelgium.com/skinnydip

American Whitewater is asking our members, particularly those living in Oregon to take action to protect the Wild Rogue. The Rogue River Wilderness and Rogue River Wild and Scenic River represents one of Oregon's most treasured natural landscapes. Legislstion in Congress (H.R. 2890 and S. 1271) will provide more comprehensive protection for the river corridor for future generations.

TVA is gathering information from stakeholders on how to meet the needs of the Tennessee Valley and its residents for energy, environment, natural resource management and recreation. As users of public lands and waters, please tell TVA what you think. Please submit your comments by August 14, 2009.

The Washington Department of Ecology has just released an environmental review to address how sediment will be managed during the proposed removal of Condit Dam on the White Salmon River in October 2010. Comments on the review document will be accepted until July 20, 2009.

Last week Senator Feingold (D-WI) reintroduced the Clean Water Restoration Act (CWRA), S. 787. This legislation will maintain the basic protection for rivers that we all appreciate and likely take for granted through restoring the reach of the Clean Water Act to headwater streams. We would like to thank Senator Feingold for looking out for one of our most basic human needs - clean water. Please call your Senator in the next week and voice your support.

Today both the House and Senate took decisive, bi-partisan action to responsibly budget for the costs of suppressing catastrophic wildfires by introducing the FLAME Act (Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act), H.R. 1404. The human-powered outdoor recreation community applauds this critical step in getting a handle on the financial impacts that catastrophic wildfires currently have on recreation and other programs.

The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 will hit the House floor next week. This legislation includes dozens of new Wild and Scenic Rivers including several proposals where the whitewater paddling community was directly engaged. This legislation needs one final push and a strong show of public support to become law.

Proposals are currently being floated in the Washington State legislature to expand hydropower development in the state which could have devastating impacts on the state's free-flowing rivers, particularly on headwater streams that represent some of the region's top creeking destinations. Rivers like the Clearwater and Canyon Creek that have seen past threats would be at risk if new legislation passes to encourage development of "run-of-river" hydropower projects.

Your donations to AW in 2008 may have been the best investment you made all year. Your support has yielded new protections and access for many rivers plus flow restoration and countless beautiful days on the water for you and your paddling partners.

As 2008 comes to a close we ask that you consider making an additional, tax deductible, donation to American Whitewater beyond your regular membership dues. Plus, to emphasize the value of this investment, anyone who has donated at least $5 since Oct. 1, or who is going to donate by Oct. 15 by Dec. 31, will be entered into a raffle for a brand new Dagger Kayak!

This December 8th-24th KEEN will donate $5 to American Whitewater for each purchase made in their Hybrid.Shop online using the code KEENAW.

What's more, this offer is open to anyone, AW member or not, who shops at Keen's Hybrid.Shop online.

We ask that paddlers familiar with Idaho's Black Canyon of the Bear River fill out a short one-page online survey. The survey will help us understand paddler's preferences for flow volumes and scheduling. American Whitewater strives to represent the interests of the paddlers that are out on the water, and surveys are a big help.

Right now there is a proposed national rulemaking to decide the fate of Colorado's backcountry roadless areas. Rivers flowing through Roadless areas in Colorado include the Los Pinos, Piedra, Hermosa Creek, Mad Creek, Saint Vrain River, Conejos River, and Lime Creek. Many additional rivers are bordered by Roadless areas that define their superb scenery and water quality. These include most notably the Upper Animas River, Cache la Poudre, Elk River, and the Taylor River. The Animas, Poudre, and Taylor Rivers are commercially rafted by large numbers of citizens, supporting significant regional economies. Your comments to the Forest Service are needed by October 23rd.

North Cascades National Park is currently revising the management plan for the Ross Lake National Recreation Area, which includes the Skagit River. As part of the planning effort the Park Service has considered a request by American Whitewater to conduct a study on the eligibility and suitability of the Skagit River for protection under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. While the downstream section of the Skagit, which is popular for eagle floats, is designated as Wild and Scenic, what many paddlers do not know is that the well-known whitewater run upstream is not currently designated.

Right now the largest land and river protection bill in recent history is in the US Senate, awaiting action. The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2008 (S. 3213) represents a legislative package that will protect several rivers and headwater streams that the paddling community enjoys. AW encourages you to contact your Senators.

The United States Forest Service (USFS) has recently issued a draft rule for Colorado's National Forests that weakens and removes existing protections for backcountry roadless areas. Starting Monday, August 18th in Pueblo, the USFS is hosting a series of Open Houses to discuss the proposed Rule and to hear your comments. American Whitewater has been working with our colleagues in the Outdoor Alliance to analyze the rule and we believe that the draft rule inadequately protects those remote areas with rugged terrain that provide the highest quality opportunities for human-powered recreation.

AW has finished our initial review of the Environmental Assessment (EA) regarding recreation on the Chattooga River and we will be filing detailed comments on the EA prior to the August 1st deadline [extended to August 18th]. We encourage paddlers nationwide concerned with river management and protection to submit comments. The proposed management action on the Chattooga is a damaging and politically motivated precedent that would impact rivers, managers, and recreationists across the country.

The District Engineer from the US Army Corps of Engineers has scheduled an additional THIRD public hearing to be held in conjunction with the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Northern Integrated Supply Project.The public hearing will be held MONDAY, JUNE 16th in Fort Collins, Colorado at 425 West Prospect Road. The open house will start at 4:00 pm, hearing to begin at 6:00 pm.

The park system will turn 100 years in 2016 and Congress and the President are poised to take major steps to make the parks ready for their next century. Legislation is currently being considered in the House that will establish a margin of excellence at our parks consistent with the high quality of recreational and natural resources they were established to protect. Paddlers can take action today to move this bill to a floor vote.

Last week President Bush signed a bill making Wild Sky the first new wilderness area in Washington State in more than a quarter century. The new wilderness includes the headwaters of several whitewater runs including the North Fork Skykomish, Silver Creek, Rapid, and Beckler.

Since 2007 the US Forest Service has been conducting a statewide study of all rivers in Utah's National Forests to decide which are suitable to become Wild and Scenic Rivers. In the fall of 2008 the Forest Service is planning to release a Final Environmental Impact Statement, which will include the Forest Service's recommendation on which of all the rivers in Utah's National Forests the Forest Service recommends should become Wild and Scenic Rivers.

Between now and the fall of 2008 the Forest Service will be creating that list, so now is the time to add your name in support of Utah's Renowned Rivers.

Over the years American Whitewater has improved many of our nations rivers and we want to know which one is your favorite. Starting February 1st American Whitewater is hosting a contest through YouTube to showcase your favorite American Whitewater project past or present. All you have to do is make a short video about the river and upload it to YouTube. The winning video will be seen by thousands when it opens a future episode of Lunch Video Magazine and is shown at the 08 Gauley River Festival.