How you can help
Come to Monday Meetings, 6 p.m. at the Upper Lake. (4/3, 4/10, 4/17)
Come to the public meeting with the developers at Cacapon Lodge, 4/18, 5 p.m.
Spread awareness: Tell your friends, neighbors, and strangers you meet at the park. Invite them to the meetings.
Suggested Talking Points
The proposed development:
Will mar the natural beauty of the park.
Is wildly out of scale, with 350 proposed RV spots. Parks with double the acreage have fewer than 50 spots.
Will reduce the recreation value of the park for existing users, including hikers, bikers, golfers and fishermen.
Will require massive road construction inside the park, and create traffic jams outside of the park.
Is out of character with the historic nature of the park, which was built in 1930s by the CCC.
Will imperil rare and endangered species, including the federally listed harperella, and the soon-to-be federally listed wood turtle.
Is a tax dodge for developers, who will not have to pay county taxes while also putting a strain on local infrastructure.
We request:
Withdrawal of the current RPF, which had no opportunities for public comment. Any new RPFs should be consistant with the scale, historic nature and delicate ecology of the park, with opportunities for public comment that are announced at least two weeks in advance.
A thorough environmental impact assessment of the proposed RV park, including its potential impacts on water quality, wildlife, historic value and landscape.
A Habitat Conservation Plan and Incidental Take Permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as is required by law.
A safety impact assessment on increased traffic on Route 522, the state park entrance, residential communities, park visitors, and downtown Berkeley Springs.
An assessment of how the proposed RV park will tax local infrastructure, including law enforcement.
An assessment of the development’s potential to create or intensify existing fire and flood hazards.
Public officials to contact:
| Rep. Charles Trump charles.trump@wvsenate.gov (304) 357-7880 & (304) 258-5133 Rep. George Miller george.miller@wvhouse.gov (304) 340-3177 Rep. Darren Thorne darren.thorne@wvhouse.gov Governor Jim Justice (304) 558-2000 Gary G. Howell, Chair of Economic Development and Tourism gary.howell@wvhouse.gov (304) 340-3090 & (304) 790-9022 Brett W. McMillion, director of WV Department of Natural Resources Brett.W.McMillion@wv.gov Chelsea A. Ruby, Cabinet Secretary, Chelsea.A.Ruby@wv.gov (304)558-2200 |
Thank you for joining the fight to save our beautiful and historic park!