Monongalia Commission Backs Reopening of Locks
Charleston Gazette
29 December 2013
By The Associated Press
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - The Monongalia County Commission is
offering to serve as a go-between to reopen two Monongahela River
locks for recreational use.
The Dominion Post reports that the commission recently voted to
ask the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to allow it to act as a
conduit for donations. The commission would pass the money to the
corps to pay for operating the locks.
Under federal law, the corps can only deal with public entities.
The corps announced in 2012 that it would eliminate recreational
use of the Opekiska and Hildebrand locks because of budget cuts.
It later agreed to keep the locks open for six days during this
year's boating season. Two days were lost because of the partial
government shutdown.