Date published: 8/26/2005

I would like to express my strong support for Fredericksburg's current efforts to protect more than 4,000 acres of sensitive riparian land that the city owns along the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers from development through a permanent conservation easement ["State: City's river land is 'national treasure'," Aug. 20].

I have been following the deliberations closely, and I applaud the city for working with neighboring counties where the riparian lands are located to provide flexibility to meet the region's future road and utility infrastructure needs.

I commend county officials for their constructive engagement in the process and hope they will be able to help protect these lands for the enjoyment of all residents.

I understand that the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and the Virginia chapter of The Nature Conservancy are offering to provide significant resources that will help our community achieve our locally defined conservation goals.

These are reputable, commonwealth-based organizations that should be welcomed as valuable partners.

I was privileged to convene the first summit meeting in 1996 of local, state, and federal officials to discuss removing Embrey Dam.

Regional cooperation was key to the community consensus that led to the Rappahannock River becoming the longest free-flowing river in the eastern U.S.

The Friends of the Rappahannock--our local river protection group--played an instrumental role in that process by providing sound information to local decision-makers, and I am pleased that the group is playing a similar role in the discussions about the proposed conservation easement.

Moreover, I sponsored legislation designating the Rappahannock as one of the "scenic rivers" in Virginia, which came as a result of regional agreement among the localities that border our wonderful river.

As the "father" of legislation that created the Rappahannock River Basin Commission, I have seen firsthand how effectively the commission functions, when all localities in the basin meet regularly to address river issues.

The Rappahannock knows no political boundaries; it belongs to all of us, no matter where we live. It deserves to be protected and preserved for eternity.

I look forward to the day when similar cooperation in our community and far-sighted action by local leaders lead to an effective, permanent conservation easement that makes our signature river and its riparian lands among the best-protected, for the benefit of all residents.

I stand ready to assist the city and neighboring counties in achieving this worthy objective.

R. Edward Houck

Spotsylvania

R. Edward Houck is a Democratic state senator representing the 17th District.

Date published: 8/26/2005