To: CLEAR members and friends From: Duane Nichols, President. RE: Settlement Agreement For Snail and Bat
CLEAR has assumed an obligation to help raise funds to pay for the Expert Team and the Delineation Team scheduled (see below) to prepare a Report on criteria and procedures for the identification and marking of potential habitat for the Cheat three-tooth snail in the Cheat Canyon, on the lands of Allegheny Wood Products (AWP). AWP will pay the upfront costs and the three Plaintiff organizations [CLEAR, Sierra Club--State Chapter, and Friends of Blackwater], will raise funds to the extent possible so as to share these costs.
Here is a fund-raising plan, for your comment and approval: 1. CLEAR can allocate $1,000 as matching money, from the general fund and from "in-kind" contributions, i.e. the value of the time of CLEAR persons who work in the project. 2. Another $1,000 from the Friends of the Cheat, as actual funds and "in-kind" contributions. 3. The sum of $2,000 from the Mon County Commission, to be requested in April. 4. The sum of $2,000 from the Preston Co. Commission, to be requested in April. 5. Up to $3,000 from other local grants. 6. Up to $10,000 from a grant application to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Please provide comments, questions, and your voice of support or otherwise. See below for more details at this time.
Duane Nichols
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THE LEGAL SUIT TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE FLAT-SPIRED THREE TOOTH LAND SNAIL IN THE CHEAT CANYON WAS SETTLED ON FEBRUARY 5, 2007. ACCORDING TO THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, COORDINATORS WOULD BE SELECTED, THEN AN EXPERT TEAM WOULD BE SET UP TO WRITE A REPORT LAYING OUT CRITERIA FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL HABITAT FOR THE SNAIL. THE IS CALLED THE DELINEATION REPORT, AND IT WILL BE USED STARTING ON JULY 21, 2007 TO REVIEW 5 PERSERVES THAT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE IN AREA 3, THE MOST IMPORTANT SNAIL AREA, AND TO STUDY THE REMAINDER OF AREA 3 FOR THE EXISTENCE OF ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL HABITAT. THIS IS GOING TO BE A RATHER RIGOROUS SET OF CRITERIA AND DELINEATION PROCESS, AS REQUIRED BY THE SETTLEMENT.
The Schedule below provides some insight into what the specific steps are to be. I plan to set up a public meeting in April to provide an opportunity to gather for a discussion of the process and the data.
Settlement Agreement Activity Schedule 1. Selection of Coordinators (15 days): 2-5-07 to 2-20-07. (Complete) Coordinators: Kelly Riddle, AWP, and Duane Nichols, CLEAR 1. Selection of Expert Team (30 days): 2-21-07 to 3-22-07. (Complete) Tom Pearce, Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh, Ron Caldwell, Cumberland Mountain Research Center, Tom Watters, Ohio State University, and Dan Dourson, Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education. [Fixed fee of $3500 per Expert]. *3. Prepare draft delineation report (75 days): 3-23-07 to 6-5-07. *4. Review draft delineation report (15 days): 6-6-07 to 6-20-07. *5. Prepare final delineation report (30 days): 6-21-07 to 7-20-07. *6. Seek advice of expert team on possible research projects: 6-6-07 to 7-20-07. 1. Selection of delineation team (30 days): 6-21-07 to 7-20-07. 1. Complete delineation of Area 3 (balance of year 2007): 7-21-07 to 12-31-07. 1. AWP begins timbering in Area 3: 11-15-07. 1. Complete all delineations in Area 3 and on the South Side of Canyon: 7-21-07 to 11-15-09. * - Note: The responsibilities of the Expert Team are those of Items 3, 4, 5 and 6. During the draft review, Team members may be called upon to present the draft to others and answer questions about the draft.
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