By Frank Young

Two announcements in as many years from Governor Underwood have proclaimed that he has negotiated to add significant parts of the Blackwater Canyon property to Blackwater Falls State Park. But actually, to date, no new areas at all have actually been acquired. So far the governor's latest pronouncement that he has negotiated with Appalachian Wood Products (AWP) for another small Canyon land acquisition amounts to little more than dry political fodder in an election year.

But before taking the early May announcement about a "deal" seriously, one should ask, "What is the status of the acquisition announced last year?" Apparently that "deal" wasn't a deal at all. It was just a publicity announcement for the governor about plans for some not yet (then) divulged plans involving logging roads and utility easements for private, commercial operations through an existing state park!

The problem of the governor's slow pace in protecting Canyon lands from timbering and commercial development is in his approach. He just doesn't have the necessary resolve to take it on himself to join in a serious campaign to insure that ALL of Blackwater Canyon and the greater region remain the precious jewel for this and future generations to enjoy. So he announces bit-by-bit "negotiations" from time to time, without even one square foot of protected land to show for it. He hides behind popular "property rights" rhetoric when explaining away his failure to take a strong stand for the Canyon preservation.

But this totally ignores the fact that the canyon was acquired, many decades ago, by its former owner, a utility company, under threat of forceful takeover from previous landowners. Who defended THEIR "property rights?" It could be argued that AWP's title to the Canyon is defective because it was acquired under false pretenses by the former owners, Allegheny Power Company. If the utility company's need for the land disappeared, then it's title to the land was no longer valid, and the land reverted to its' former owners, or to another public interest. But instead, the precious Blackwater Canyon is being muddied, timbered, roaded, eroded, and divided into pieces to use as chips in a high stakes poker game between AWP, Governor Underwood, and the public.

Governor Underwood should stop this parcel-by-parcel political gamesmanship. I urge him to join with Senator Byrd and others to help create the political climate in support of the Blackwater Canyon National Park. If he needs to build a personal legacy around the Canyon, then let him work toward the Cecil H. Underwood State Park, encompassing the entire Blackwater Canyon region.

Governor, I urge you to join your fellow gubernatorial candidates in support of stopping the disturbance of endangered species and the slaughter of Canyon forests and Canyon lands.

Whether through litigation, negotiations, condemnations or legislation the WHOLE of Blackwater Canyon needs protection from further destruction. Whether through the Courts, the Congress, the State Legislature or the executive branch, the WHOLE Canyon deserves this protection. Anything less on the part of government officials is nothing less than failure to protect the public's interest in one of the most special of West Virginia's special treasures.