Published December 1999 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd Ensuring an Environmental Legacy
One of the greatest challenges facing our nation is the effort to balance the needs associated with protecting the environment while also protecting jobs. Over the years, I have worked to address this challenge by promoting initiatives that preserve the state's natural treasures, while advancing research to better utilize our resources in an environmentally sound manner. The crown jewel of this effort is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Jefferson County. This center combines state-of-the-art technology and a professional staff to train men and women charged with protecting our nation's natural resources. This year, I obtained $15 million for operations at the NCTC, which I initiated in 1989 and have, over the ensuing years, secured $138 million for its further development. Continuing my support of programs that protect West Virginia's natural treasures, I sought funds for land acquisition, operations, and improved facilities at the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge and the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Specifically, this year I added $400,000 for land acquisition at the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and $150,000 for improved public facilities at the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. In 1989, when West Virginia was the only state without a national wildlife refuge, I added the first funds in an appropriations bill for the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge, clearing the path for the purchase of 13 islands to serve as the core of the refuge. The Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, which I started by adding the initial investment of $2 million to an appropriations bill in 1993, was the nation's 500'h federal wildlife refuge. The establishment of these wildlife refuges stands as tangible evidence of my strong commitment to the safeguarding of West Virginia's natural resources while also further developing the state's economy. Moreover, funding I added to appropriations bills this year has supported and strengthened the New River Gorge National River and the Monongahela National Forest, which host some of the state's most dramatic and sensitive lands, like Seneca Rocks and the Cranberry Glades. The designation of these lands as federally protected not only serves to ensure a special status for the resident flora and fauna, but also allows for recreational opportunities that benefit West Virginia's tourism industry. Over the years, I have greatly improved our state's environmental record while enhancing our economic well-being. The challenge in the years ahead will be to continue to expand on that record of preservation, even as we build a dynamic economy. December 1, 1999