Preserving Virginia's Ridges and Valleys

By: Lowell
Published On: 9/24/2007 5:35:43 AM

For the past 6 1/2 years, the United States has suffered a sustained Republican assault on the nation's environment.  From the Orwellian "healthy forests" and "clear skies" initiatives (translation:  cut the trees down, pollute the air) to the complete lack of action on our planet's greatest single threat, global warming, the Bush Administration and Republicans in Congress have not met a part of our country's forests, waterways, lands, or skies that they didn't want to cut, divert, drill, or befoul. 

Now, the the Wall Street Journal reports that this may be changing a tiny bit at least, as the Democratic-controlled Congress "is on the verge of walling off as many as three millions more acres of the nation's wilderness from commercial and recreational development."  Included in that wilderness is "43,000 acres of forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains" of Virginia.  This provision, the "Virginia Ridge and Valley Act," has been introduced by Senators Webb and Warner, plus Congressman Boucher.  It should be approved immediately. 

While they're at it, our Congressional delegation might want to add permanent protections for our coastlines and waterways, especially the Chesapeake Bay.  They also might want to support serious efforts aimed at slashing greenhouse gas emissions, which threaten Virginia's entire environment, including its beautiful ridges and valleys.  Just because Bush and the right-wing Republicans in Congress hate the environment doesn't mean the rest of us have to.

Comments



Excellent and compelling diary, Lowell !! (Dianne - 9/24/2007 6:33:50 AM)
Posed and stated correctly, this story about Democrats acting to preserve the environment could be such a bonus on the campaign trail for Virginia Democrats this fall and next. 

Virginians love the beauty of Virginia. Heck that's why I'm here.

I hope the candidates use this "winner" of a topic to make the point that Republicans ignore and/or destroy: 

-- environmental health and safety protection,
-- resource conservation, and
-- needed spending for environmental programs.

It's a fact.  Keep it simple, candidates  (remember voters are busy and have lots on their minds and get lost in minutiae). 



thanks to everyone who has worked on this bill (S. Becker - 9/24/2007 9:25:51 AM)
Virginia's Ridge and Valley Act has been a work in progress for many years. I know of a few people who have virtually dedicated their lives to this cause for the past 5-6 years.  Although I was involved in just a small portion of the work, it really brought into prespective how hard it actually is to get a bill passed through Congress.


Where's the Free Market Solution? (Teddy - 9/24/2007 9:58:51 AM)
Do you mean to say that the Republican dogma is not working on this little problem of conservation? You can't mean that! See what the unregulated free market solution has done for reconstructing New Orleans!  See how successful it is in restoring the economy of Iraq! Take note of its great success in providing universal health care for every resident in the United States! and so on.


Mountaintop removal (faithfull - 9/24/2007 12:26:36 PM)
is...or is permitted...to destroy 25% of all the land in Wise County in SWVA. Mountaintop removal is having a real and drastic effect on the mountains of southwestern virginia. Dozens of mountains have been blasted away, their toxic rubble dumped into the headwater streams.

There is a bill in Congress called the "Clean Water Protection Act" (HR 2169). It has 94 co-sponsors in the US House, but only two Dems from Virginia.

-Jim Moran
-Bobby Scott

Republican Frank Wolf is also onboard. Boucher supports mountaintop removal, and has been a nemisis of groups trying to stop this devastation in the past.

I plan to write more on this site about MTR and Virginia in the near future, but its something we all need to be aware of, and the passage of the bill you're talking about Lowell, is a great first step.

peace,
JW



Grrrr... (Matusleo - 9/24/2007 5:55:54 PM)
Boucher, you were my congressman for years.  Why are you now turning your back on your own district!  The 9th is the most beautiful district in all of Virginia, and it is my home in Virginia!  Mountaintop removal would be disastrous to the natural beauty of the landscape.

And honestly, we ought not rely on coal as our chief power source.  I have always thought we should go nuclear.  With a handful of Uranium, you have more power than with a cargo-ship full of coal. 

Let us hope these measures to preserve Virginia's beauty are passed.

Matusleo
Ut Prosim