Letterhead is Senator Robert C. Byrd, United States Senate, Committee on Appropriations, Washington DC 20510-6025.

(Strimbeck note: Senator Byrd is senior democrat on committee. Senator Arlen Specter, PA, is also on committee. So we have two senators on committee who are cognizant of lock hours problem on Upper Allegheny and Upper Mon!)

14 July 2003

Mr. Donald C. Strimbeck
P. O. Box 519
Granville, West Virginia 26534-0519

Dear Mr. Strimbeck:

Thank you for your correspondence regarding your concern about possible reductions in the hours of operation for the Morgantown, Hildebrand, and Opekiska locks on the Monongahela River.

As you may be aware, Congressman Mollohan recently contacted Colonel Raymond Scrocco, Pittsburgh District Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to ask that he delay any decisions regarding closing or reducing hours of operation on the locks. I also contacted Colonel Scrocco to encourage him to give every consideration to the Congressman's request.

You may be assured that I appreciate your taking the time to share your concerns with me on this matter.

With kind regards, I am

Sincerely yours,

/s/ Robert C. Byrd

RCB:cw