Blackwater Canyon Under Assault

Allegheny Wood Products (“AWP”) has resumed logging on its land in the Blackwater Canyon -- in spite of numerous protests from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. On June 7, 2010, Friends of Blackwater sent a “notice of intent to sue letter,” charging that AWP is violating the Endangered Species Act by harming the Cheat Mountain salamander, the Indiana and Virginia big-eared bat, and “Ginny,” the West Virginia northern flying squirrel.
Because of AWP’s logging, four hundred acres of the Canyon have been stripped of older growth canopy -- which has sheltered these rare species for seventy-five years. Logging below the historic Canyon Rail Trail is eroding support for cultural resources. And all this is being done while AWP wassupposed to be creating a Habitat Conservation Plan to protect rare species and historic sites. AWP is wasting $229,000 in taxpayer funds that were allocated in 2002 for this Plan, and Fish and Wildlife Service is not holding AWP accountable.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE 60 DAY NOTICE WITH APPENDICES.

CLICK HERE TO READ KEN WARD'S ARTICLE FROM THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE.

Please speak out today to help stop this terrible degradation of the Canyon. Here's how:

Tell the USF&WS that under no circumstances should AWP be allowed to continue without filing a valid Habitat Conservation Plan. Click here to tell them to enforce the rules.

Tell West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin that purchase is the way to guarantee protection of West Virginia's Scenic Crown Jewel. Click here to tell Governor Manchin to Buy the Blackwater Canyon Now!