News Briefs

Virginia Boating Access Fee Delayed: As reported in the Roanoke Times and as relayed by American Whitewater, Virginia legislators blocked a parking fee they had imposed on boating ramps of the state Department of Wildlife Resources. (See Jan-Feb 2021 Cruiser for a report on the fee that had been imposed.) A committee will reconsider and make recommendations, and the program will be delayed until at least July 2022. According to the Times, legislators were concerned in particular about unintended impacts on outfitters. AW, the group explains, "generally does not oppose reasonable day-use fees of river access areas through programs that direct these funds back to river access sites and that have financial transparency and accountability, public involvement, and representation by paddlers in decision-making." But AW goes on to say, "It is unclear at this time if the new fee system meets these standards and we look forward to learning more through the review process and ultimately to ensure that the fee program serves the public interest."

Easement Implemented to Protect Cliffs Along the Moorefield: A conservation easement has been implemented to protect the Moorefield Gorge, also known as Cliff Canyon, along the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac (also known as the Moorefield River), according to WVNews. The landowner, Steve Callen, joined with the West Virginia Land Trust, the Nature Conservancy, and the Potomac Conservancy to put the legal protections in place. WVNews reports that "18 rare species and plant communities occur here, largely due to the limestone geology." Certainly not least among those species is the Virginia big-eared bat, to whom we clearly owe a debt of gratitude.

New Owner of White's Ferry Hopes to Reopen It: Several local media outlets reported Feb. 12 that Chuck Kuhn, founder and CEO of JK Moving Services, and his wife Stacy Kuhn, have come to terms on a purchase of the currently dormant White’s Ferry (see, e.g., the LoudonNow report). The deal includes the ferry, the store, and the Maryland landing area. The Kuhns hope to negotiate rights to land on the Virginia side, but there's no assurance yet. A long-running legal dispute about the Virginia landing rights caused the ferry to close in December, as noted in the Jan-Feb 2021 Cruiser News Briefs.

House Passes Wilderness Protection Legislation: The House Feb. 26 passed the Protecting America's Wilderness and Public Lands Act, which would designate more than 1,000 Wild and Scenic river miles and more than 1.5 million acres of new Wilderness, and would close more than 1 million acres of sensitive watersheds to new mining claims. The action was reported by many news outlets, including The Hill, which noted, "The bill is backed by the White House but could face an uphill battle in the Senate."

Chesapeake Bay Paddle '21 Seeks Paddlers: DC, Maryland, and Virginia paddlers of all stripes are encouraged to participate in "an epic 215 mile, 8 day, staged paddle race to protect the Chesapeake Bay" Aug. 27-Sept. 3. For information and to register, go to baypaddle.org. 

Polar Bears Take the Plunge for Good Causes: Feb. 13 was not a great day for swimming—frankly, it was brutal—but volunteers nonetheless plunged into the Potomac to raise several thousand dollars for the Potomac Riverkeeper Network and Chesapeake Climate Action Network. To see the actual proof that they did it, check out the video on YouTube.

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