CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Those for and against the removal of three dams along the West Fork River in Harrison County will soon have the chance to make their cases during a pubic meeting.
The Harrison County Commission scheduled the forum for September 17 as a way to help them decide whether or not to sign a sales agreement from the Clarksburg Water Board to transfer the Highland, Two Lick and West Milford Dams to the county.
Commissioners said it was important for the public to have its say before any major decision is made in this matter.
“That’s the reason why we haven’t initiated any action in any kind of formal back to the Water Board,” Commission President Ron Watson said.
The meeting will allow for a Q&A session between the public and leaders on both sides of the issue, as well as informal one-on-one conversations.
Commissioner Bernie Fazzini hopes that whatever decision is made, the information provided will allow those on the unsuccessful side to come to terms with it.
“There is no middle of the road,” Commissioner Bernie Fazzini said. “They’re either coming out or not. It’s accepting whether they’re coming out or accepting that they’re going to stay.”
The dams were slated for demolition after the Water Board voted 2-1 in March to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service return the West Fork River to its natural flow in order to restore wildlife –which includes the endangered Clubshell Mussel.
Years ago, the project began when the Water Board sought a way to rid themselves of the liability which comes with the dams, after being sued in relation to the death of three boaters in the early 2000s who were sucked under the Highland Dam due to what is called the “Roller Effect.”
Through this process, a group led by residents along the West Fork River and a ground called the Guardians of the West Fork has opposed the project and urged the county commission to step in and take possession of the dams so they can be renovated for recreation and tourism purposes.
In June, a new member was elected to the Water Board who believed that since some of the dams are in an area that can not vote for the Clarksburg entity, the decision should be left to the county commission and with a 2-1 vote in July, a sales agreement was drafted to transfer ownership of the dams conditionally.
The commission received the contract early in August, but due to the complex legal nature of the document, they have had to take time in doing their due diligence.
“When you’re talking taxpayer dollars, why should we have to speed something up and take it,” Watson asked. “We have some issues with the terms and conditions in which they want to give us the dams.”
Even if the commission signs the agreement, it is not certain that the demolition –slated to begin sometime in October– would stop.
One of the condition of the contract the Water Board signed with Fish and Wildlife in March was that should the dams’ owner change, the contract would transer to the new owner and the contract can only be nullified if the two parties reach a mutual agreement.
With a new member on the way in the near future, the commission believes the vote in March was improper.
“That should have never happened,” Watson said. “The outgoing board member should have never been able to have voted on that. He’s gone now. The three sitting board members are the ones that needed to take that action and engage the Fish and Wildlife or not engage the Fish and Wildlife.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife has indicated at this time that they do not want to back out of the contract and believe in the benefits of the project, the first known river restoration project in the state.
In a scenario that the federal agency does agree to back out of the contract, they have indicated they would seek reimbursement for the roughly $400,000 they have spent since the March vote. This cost would add to that of what it would take to renovate the dams for the planned water trail, which is estimated between $360,000 and $500,000.
The public meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on September 17 at the Harrison County Parks and Recreation Center located on Rt. 19 South in Clarksburg.