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Park Speculation Is ‘Premature’
Comments on Wild Escape use still being compiledBy JOSELYN KING
POSTED: October 4, 2007
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“It’s still too premature to make any determination,” said Col. Michael Crall, commander of the Corps’ Pittsburgh district office. “It is a complex process. They are responsible for following regulations of the Clean Water Act. We are responsible for seeing that they follow the regulations.”
Crall and others with the Corps are in Wheeling this week for two concurrent conferences at Oglebay Park. The conferences are the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/The Nature Conservancy 3rd Partnership Conference and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/State Natural Resources Directors Conference.
A mandatory public comment period pertaining to Wild Escape concluded Sept. 25, and Crall said the Corps still is in the process of compiling the comments.
The permit issue pertains to streams in the area of Storch’s Run on The Highlands property. This area must be filled in with soil to make room for the park, and the Corps must issue a permit before the work can begin.
U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., has been working with the Corps and park developer Steve Minard on issues surrounding the permits.
“We hear that things are going as expected,” said Gerry Griffith, spokesman for Mollohan. “The Corps has received some responses, but not all have been received by Ohio County officials. The county has to respond to the comments, then turn them back over to the Corps.
“We will be asking for timely updates from the Corps,” Griffith added.
The public notice seeking comment explains the permit would allow the Ohio County Development Authority to fill the Storch’s Run valley with 13.7 million cubic yards of soil and rock. The depth of this material would vary from 10 to 230 feet, the notice states.
The notice also mentions 0.23 acres of wetlands would be impacted. The wetland area is located about 2 miles from the project site. Also, a total of 8,141 linear feet of stream would be affected. The notice states a 1-acre or larger wetland still needs to be constructed along Middle Wheeling Creek to mitigate the impact on 0.23 acres of existing wetland.
It also is noted the permit decision will not be made until the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection issues, denies or waives state certification.
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View Comments: | 1-3 | Post a comment
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Katabatic
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10-04-07 10:35 AM
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Lets appoint a blue ribbon panel, to authorize a committee, to discuss the possibility of forming a think tank, that would mull around the idea of generating a specialized group, who would ultimately discuss why we can't get anything done in this town.
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CTMountaineer
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10-04-07 10:30 AM
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It could be worse. Fortunately the City of Wheeling is not involved or it would almost surely be stopped in its tracks. As long as it is the County running things, it has a good chance of success.
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joesr66
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10-04-07 7:57 AM
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I wouldn't hold your breath of the park coming to the Highlands too many people passing the buck so like everything else here in the valley all talk and no action.
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