The Clinch River Valley Initiative has some proposed
potential impacts as follows: Removing more unlawful
dumping along the river; Exploring which businesses can the possibility sustaining
limited impact on water quality if they are operating in the area and focusing
on attracting those businesses to the region; Finding ways to address major
polluters and agricultural run-off; Assisting landowners with receiving small
acreage conservation easements in the watershed; and Providing financial
assistance to people to switch from a straight septic pipe to a septic tank for
sewage disposal.
Lou Wallace is a member
of the Clinch River Valley Initiative. She specifically sits on the committee,
which deals with downtown revitalization. Many of the philosophies and ideas in
the CRVI are the same as St. Paul Tomorrow as it was founded by many of the
same people. Lou has stated that the idea behind the CRVI is for all Southwest
Virginia communities to collaborate and work together to make the river a more
marketable asset to the community. Specifically for all communities to “pick
up, clean up, create rest stops, restaurants and places for people to walk
their dogs” when they come into the Clinch River water shed because they will
travel through the area and through all the communities. More people will come
to visit the area versus one town. The Clinch River Valley Initiative is in the
process of creating access points which will allow people to use boat docks in
order to get onto public and private lands to access the river. The CRVI is
placing access points in hopes of allowing people to be on the river for 1-11/2
hours in order to canoe or kayak and enjoy the scenic beauty that our area has
to offer. As discussed above the Clinch River and its watershed has more to
offer than just a river including many endangered species and geology that can
be seen nowhere else.
The
Access point aspect deals with negotiating with private landowners and convincing
them to allow the CRVI to put public access points on their land. During an
interview with Frank Kilgore I learned he does Pro Bono work for the CRVI and
helps to complete these negotiations. Owners must be counseled about these
access points and many have fears that allowing the public onto their land will
bring a host of problems including: littering, burning down their homes,
harming their land, coming back to rob them. The law enforcement has been
collaborated with in St. Paul in order to get them on with this project. If
there are any problems with the access points then the law enforcement will
respond immediately to the private landowners aid. The legal work that comes
along with these agreements is tremendous and specifically at this aspect deals
with easements, contracts, etc.
The ultimate vision of
the CRVI was described from the prospect of Lou Wallace. From her perspective
on the town revitalization committee she believes the vision is to “come away
from a Wal-Mart society and from a throw away society”. She specifically talked
about keeping youth in this areas, especially the bright and educated who in
her opinion tend to move away to places that have more opportunities to offer.
AS an entrepreneur and a woman with a passion for water conservation and clinch
river water shed she believes that we need to work together including the
younger generation to create our own opportunities and recreation within our
area. She says from the very beginning of this imitative “people knew they
wanted to drink better water, breathe better air and coincide with our recourse
which is coal” She discussed the fact that this was a challenge because coal is
one of the world’s dirties resources.
No comments:
Post a Comment