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Record of Decision (ROD) Released in March 2004
In March 2004 the Record of Decision was released on the Project.
Our Position on the ROD
Given the track record of the government agencies involved in the project, it
is difficult to completely take at face value that what is put forth in black and white.
While we believe it is a substantial improvement over the 1999 plan, we remain
skeptical that the devil is in the details and the somehow the final plan
will be manipulated against us during implementation.
As written the decision a step in the right
direction as the preferred option being considered now does not overtly
propose to take more land than necessary for the road or to FORCE conservation
easements unwillingly. Does the language in it enable them to do it covertly?
We're not sure.
And we must remember that there are still a substantial number of people who
are being adversely and without choice displaced by the plan. And those
same folks are not being compensated beyond the physical value of their
property. They are not being compensated for the scenic value of their
land and will not share in the economic prosperity that the road is supposed to
bring to the Valley.
We remain highly concerned that the National Park Service is being given such a
prominent, dominating role in the Parkway's construction and land management and believe
this is not in the best interest of the people of West Virginia. The lack
of clarity of the roles of the NPS, the lack of specifics in Land Management
System, ambiguous language about the path of the road, leaves us with more questions than answers as to
what implementation will mean. Will all the land be turned over the the
NPS? What will happen to us if that occurs? Will the road alignment
be steered to take out additional landowners unnecessarily? Will the Land
Management System make it impossible to realistically live in the valley or make
modest improvements on our land?
We encourage all interested and affected individuals,
businesses, landowners, and their families, whether you believe you are
for or against the project, to contact the state at the above address and
request a copy of the Record of Decision. Review it in detail and with a skeptical eye.
Then help us to make sure that the terms and spirit of the decision are
implemented, for the benefit of everyone concerned. In particular get
involved in the development and public comment period for the Land Management
System.
For information about the Final Environmental Impact Statement, click here.
