CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Despite various twists and turns this week, it turns out the public will be allowed to attend Friday’s Groundhog Day Ceremony. The Justice Administration today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted a one day clearance for the public to attend the ceremony.
“Despite the challenges posed by the relicensing process, I am thrilled to announce that the West Virginia State Wildlife Center has received clearance to host our Groundhog Day celebration tomorrow,” Gov. Justice said in a press release. “We extend our gratitude to the USDA for their support. So I ask all West Virginians to join us as we mark this tradition tomorrow. We all look forward to reopening the Wildlife Center to the public soon.”
According to the administration, members of the public are invited to attend the ceremony, which will start at 9:50 a.m. with an opening ceremony. At 10:00 a.m., French Creek Freddie, the State Wildlife Center’s resident weather-predicting groundhog, will emerge from his dwelling to reveal whether an early spring is on the way or if winter will continue for another six weeks.
Following the ceremony, guests are encouraged to take photos with French Creek Freddie, enjoy refreshments, and explore the State Wildlife Center.
All West Virginians who cannot attend are invited to watch a live stream of the celebration here.
The center is going through a relicensing process with the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The dispute over the license is apparently tied to the requirement of a secondary containment fence at the facility. The lack of such a fence had been allowed in a variance issued by the agency 24 years ago, but for now is apparently no longer recognized.
West Virginia DNR officials are working with APHIS to address the issue.
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin issued a statement earlier today indicating the center would reopen for Friday’s event following a conversation he had with U.S Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
“After speaking with USDA Secretary Vilsack yesterday, I have been assured that French Creek Freddie will have the opportunity to look for his shadow tomorrow morning. Secretary Vilsack and I have remained friends since our time as Governors and while we continue to work to fully re-open the WV Wildlife Center, I am excited to see that the festivities will proceed tomorrow and hope French Creek Freddie will not see his shadow, forecasting an early Spring!” said Manchin in a statement issue Thursday morning.
Senator Manchin said he shared in the frustrations Governor Justice had shared earlier this week with the slow process.
“I join West Virginia State officials in their frustrations about bureaucratic delays from federal agencies, but I will continue to use my time in the Senate to remove these hurdles, improve the permitting process and so much more!” Manchin said.