(A message by the West Virginia Rivers Coalition)

A request by developers to weaken pollution limits on Upper Blackwater River was denied recently by the West Virginia Environmental Quality Board (EQB)!

Developers had asked that the Upper Blackwater be re-designated a warm water stream rather maintain its cold water trout stream designation. Doing so would have allowed more sewage to be dumped into the river, jeopardizing the fragile river system in Canaan Valley. The EQB voted to deny the request for redesignation of the Upper Blackwater as a warm water stream, maintaining the protections the cold water designation provides.

Plus, EQB voted in favor of redesignating the Lower Blackwater to a cold water trout stream, giving it greater protection. A couple of months ago, on behalf of the West Virginia Rivers Coalition and the Mountaineer Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Bryan Moore, West Virginia Rivers Coalition vice-chair made a formal presentation and request on these issues to EQB. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources also appeared before EQB to support this request.

The change for the Lower Blackwater will require public notice for comments and a public hearing this summer, so it’s not a done deal. But for now, river lovers can celebrate this important victory for Blackwater River!