Bill Text: WV HCR50 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urging the United States Congress to designate the New River Gorge National River in West Virginia a national park
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 47-6)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-06 - To House Agriculture and Natural Resources [HCR50 Detail]
Download: West_Virginia-2019-HCR50-Introduced.html
House Concurrent Resolution 50
By Delegates Kessinger, Capito, Hanshaw (Mr. Speaker), Barrett, Bates, Bibby, Byrd, Cadle, Campbell, Cooper, Criss, Dean, ellington, Espinosa, Fast, Fleischauer, Graves, Hamrick, Hanna, Hardy, Harshbarger, Higginbotham, Hott, Householder, Howell, D. Jeffries, J. Jeffries, Jennnings, D. Kelly, Kump, Lavender-bowe, Linville, Lovejoy, Malcolm, Mandt, C. Martin, P. Martin, Maynard, Nelson, Pack, Phillips, Porterfield, Robinson, Rohrbach, Rowan, Shott, Steele, Storch, Summers, Sypolt, Toney, Waxman and Worrell
Urging the United States Congress to designate the New River Gorge National River in West Virginia a national park.
Whereas, On October 2, 2018 West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito introduced a bill, the New River Gorge National Park Designation Act, that would make the New River Gorge National River the New River Gorge National Park; and
Whereas, The New River Gorge National River has been a unit of the National Park Service since its creation in 1978; and
Whereas, The re-designation as a national park would not change the way the 72,808-acre preserve of canyons, cliffs, forested plateaus and whitewater rapids is currently managed, with hunting, rafting, fishing, bicycling and Bridge Day BASE-jumping that are permitted as “traditional” uses of the land; and
Whereas, The move to re-designate the Gorge as a national park was initiated by a group of whitewater outfitters, who saw the name change as a way to give the preserve a higher profile and attract more visitors, at virtually no cost, due to the National Park “brand” as an outdoor destination of choice; and
Whereas, In introducing the bill Senator Capito stated, “The New River Gorge is a special part of West Virginia and a real source of pride for our state. Whether it’s cheering on the BASE jumpers at Bridge Day, experiencing the thrill of world-class whitewater rafting, or taking in the beautiful panoramic views, the New River Gorge provides unlimited opportunities for thousands of visitors each year;” and
Whereas, A study completed in May of 2018 for a proposal to re-designate New Mexico’s White Sands National Monument as a national park showed that eight former national monuments that had become national parks during the previous five years had experienced average increases in visitors of 21 percent; and
Whereas, Senator Capito further said, “Re-designating the national river as a national park will shine a light on the New River Gorge and its many offerings to help drive tourism and spur the local and regional economy;” and
Whereas, While national monuments may be become national parks through presidential designation, it takes an act of Congress to bring national park status to national rivers; and
Whereas, Due to its unique geology and its significance to the State of West Virginia and the nation, the New River Gorge National River warrants elevation to the status, protections and impact to the local economy that being designated a national park brings to it; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby urges the United States Congress to designate the New River Gorge National River in West Virginia the New River Gorge National Park; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a copy of this resolution to the representatives and senators elected by the citizens of West Virginia in the Congress of the United States in Washington, D. C.
