| 7/20/2006 8:53:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Over the River finds task force opposition
by Jason Starr
Mail Staff Writer
An informal declaration of opposition to the “Over the River” project surfaced Tuesday from the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area Citizens Task Force.
Members of the opposition group, Rags Over the River, solicited the statement during the regular task force meeting in Salida in an attempt to influence federal land managers studying the project.
The Bureau of Land Management is in early stages of an environmental impact statement for the plan by Christo and Jeanne-Claude to stretch fabric across the river as a public art display.
ROAR wanted to get the task force on record before the initial public comment deadline Wednesday. Roy Masinton, bureau field manager in Cañon City, said public comment will be accepted throughout the process, especially after the environmental impact statement is released next year.
During the meeting, Rags Over the River secretary Cathey Young quoted citizens who submitted negative comments to the bureau. Rags president Dan Ainsworth and board member Ken Teigs also spoke.
They raised concerns about emergency vehicle access, traffic snarls and effects on wildlife during construction, viewing and cleanup of the project.
“(Residents in Bighorn Sheep Canyon) have the right to conduct their lives without disturbance,” Teigs said. “And they also have the right to police and ambulance protection.”
Masinton recommended the task force refrain from commenting on the proposal until the impact study is complete.
“Many of the impacts ... described here are real and we will assess those in the environmental impact statement,” he said. “The (task force) has a right to get involved in this, but I would wait until we have a document that discusses the impacts.”
Task force members said they are already well versed in the pros and cons of the project. After chairman Marshall Nichols initially indicated the group would hold off making a statement, he took an informal poll and one of the 14 members said they favor of the project.
“We have informally taken a stance against it, but will not make a formal statement until we see the EIS,” Nichols said.
On another topic, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area Park Manager Rob White reported the Bureau of Reclamation is releasing about 250 cubic feet of water per second from Twin Lakes as part of the voluntary flow management program.
The program seeks to maintain a flow for recreation of 700 cfs through Salida until Aug. 15.
Water providers involved in the agreement are operating under a new understanding recently negotiated as part of the Chaffee County recreational in channel diversion water right application.
Final approval of the recreational water right is pending in water court. White said the new agreement increases coordination among entities involved and keeps Chaffee County officials abreast of releases.
John Nahomenuk updated the group regarding remediation work at the inlet of the New Salida Ditch near Stone Bridge.
The ditch company agreed to a remediation plan after regulators disagreed with the nature of work it did to repair the ditch.
Remedial earthwork at the inlet of the ditch has been completed, Nahomenuk said, and revegetation of the bank is ongoing.
“We continue in a monitoring phase and we’ll remain in a monitoring phase for five years,” he said. “If something occurs to the integrity of the slope we’ll address it at that time through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.”
Nichols said, “It certainly is a great improvement. They did a lot of hard work out there and it certainly does show.”
Task force members heard a report about construction of the whitewater park in Buena Vista.
The first of three features is partially complete and two others are planned for 2007.
Builders must wait until the water level drops in late August to continue work. They plan to stop Oct. 1 to respect fish spawning, and work will likely continue before runoff in the spring.
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