WVEC is passing on this alert from West Virginia Rivers Coalition

On Monday, 2/12, the Senate Natural Resources Committee discussed SB270, the state parks logging bill. During the meeting, the original bill opening all our state parks to commercial logging was replaced with a substitute.

However, the substitute bill still allows commercial logging in Watoga State Park, during what it calls a “pilot program”. Your calls and emails appear to have saved all but one of our state parks from commercial logging – we can’t leave Watoga on the chopping block. Contact members of the Senate Natural Resources Committee now, let them know you aren’t willing to sacrifice West Virginia’s largest state park!  

Supporters of the logging bill have changed their story countless times and are grasping at straws. During yesterday’s committee meeting, the DNR Director mentioned the cerulean warbler as a species that would benefit from logging, contradicting DNR’s own research indicating this migratory songbird needs intact, mature forests to thrive. Watoga has even hosted cerulean warbler birding events in the past! 

Already sent a letter and called members of the Senate Natural Resources Committee? Send another letter and make another call. This is a new bill and it needs new action! Send a letter now!

Forward this email to your friends and family. Together, we’ll keep commercial logging out of West Virginia’s state parks!