Cliff
Courtney, Vice President
Stehekin Heritage
PO Box 1
Stehekin WA 98852
www.stehekinheritage.com |
Stehekin
Heritage
Press
Release
For Immediate Release
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The Stehekin Heritage
organization, an organization formed in 1983 to support the continuity
of the Stehekin Community, is requesting your assistance. Currently,
the National Park Service (NPS) is asking for responses to two draft
plans: The Stehekin River Corridor Implementation Plan (SRCIP) and the
Land Protection Plan (LPP).
“We have
until February 11th to support management practices that acknowledge
the value of private property and the Stehekin Community”, says
Ron Scutt the president of Stehekin Heritage.
Since 1968, when
the National Park Service was given control of the federal lands within
the Stehekin Valley, the community has lost 75% of the land base to
federal aquisition. The draft of the LPP presently contains language
that would place 271.50 acres of the remaining private property as high
priority for potential acquisition and 141.22 acres as medium priority.
That would leave only 4.75 acres of the entire community land base that
has a designation of low priority for aquisition.
Stehekin Heritage
asserts that continued land acquisition by the Nps in the Stehekin Valley
will, unquestionably, lead to the demise of the Stehekin Community.
the question being asked is: at what point does land acquisition end?
“There are
many positive aspects in the actual river plan, such as enabling residents
to exchange their threatened property for property in safer locations
and several projects that will help stabilize the river and protect
the Stehekin Valley Road”, states Cliff Courtney, the Vice President
of Stehekin Heritage. Cliff recommends moving forward immediately with
the plans to do road stabilization work and to continue land exchanges
while spending more time with the LPP before adoption.
After reviewing
the material on the Stehekin Heritage website at www.stehekinheritage.com,
the organization hopes you will write the NPS and elected officials
and support the Stehekin Community and management positions presented
by Stehekin Heritage. These positions include:
Recognize the need
to retain a land base.
Oppose moving the
Stehekin Valley Road
Request a socio-economic
study on the impacts of the proposed plan upon the community.
Demand a moratorium on land acquisition until the findings of such an
investigation.
Support a fifth
alternative that includes community ideas combined with the best ideas
set forth in the four alternatives put forth by the NPS.
We support:
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The National Park Service (NPS) join Chelan County and conduct
a socio-economic impact analysis and investigation of the effects
of continued land acquisition on the future of the Stehekin Community.
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Until this socio-economic impact analysis is completed, that
the NPS and Chelan County work to enact an immediate moratorium on
Federal purchase of private property in Stehekin Valley.
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The Land Protection Plan must state overtly in the
overall objectives and goals that: It is a management goal
of the National Park Service to support an active, viable community
of people living and working in Stehekin as an enhancement to the
visitor appreciation and use of the Lake Chelan National Recreation
Area.
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The NPS should continue to honor current land trade activity
(with no net loss of private property land base value) but agree to
a moratorium on all land acquisition until the above investigation
is conducted.
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Change all “acquisition” priorities to read “exchange”
priorities. See section 5.2. LPP.
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Separate the SRCIP and the LPP to allow an extended timetable for
study of the impacts of the LPP, while immediately implementing river
control and road protections measures listed in the SRCIP. Also expand
the list of river projects where needed and allow for flexibility
for future required work as changes occur.
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If the
goal of the NPS is to “trade” properties endangered by
the river, “Let the River Decide” which
pieces are most threatened and need prioritized, and trade only those
vulnerable lands. Priority lists would be only for trading
purposes. Land trades should be carefully crafted so that
the owner receives the same value for their original piece with all
property rights intact. Value is defined not only by dollar amount
but also by potential uses of the original property.
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Maintain the Stehekin Valley Road at its present location
and protect the road from the river both adjacent to the road and
also at strategic locations away from the road where it can be predicted,
with a high degree of certainty, to harm the road if allowed to erode.
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Remove
appendix C – the Overlay District - from the plan.
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Support Alternative 5 - This alternative represents
a common sense, practical management philosophy that is consistent
with enacting legislation, supports a sustained vibrant community,
public access and recreation. Additionally, Alternative 5 supports
land trades (with a no net loss of existing land base or value) keeping
the road in its original alignment, protecting the road from river
erosion, and improving visitor access.