WV COULD AX TROUT STREAMS FOR COAL DEVELOPMENT

(07/31/2006)

Conservation groups in West Virginia are irate about plans to remove 141 streams in the state from a protected list, allowing them to maintain or be developed as trout streams. There are 444 protected streams. "We're very concerned that all of a sudden one-third of them disappear." says Larry Orr, Chairman of the West Virginia Council of Trout Unlimited. Most of the streams appear to have their status changed because of proposed coal or other developments around their watershed. The DEP has been vague about the criteria used to decide which streams would be stricken from the protected list. Several are categorized as streams where coal reserve development is at issue. Other streams are being removed due to "current development or potential development." < "It appears very easy to remove a stream through objections, but if you want to add a list it takes two or three years and has to run through the Legislature." says Orr. There are heightened concerns because some of the streams on the list. Among those proposed to be removed are parts of Glady Fork, Loop Creek, South Fork of Cherry River, Hominy Creek, and Glade Creek to name a few. All are popular trout streams in West Virginia. The agency says about 50 of the streams are being removed for technical reasons because they had no documented production of trout. WV is a state with nearly 1,000 miles of streams filled with debris from mountaintop removal of coal.

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