Letter From Senator Byrd, Dated October 26, 2000

Dear Mr. Strimbeck:

As promised, I am enclosing the letter and material that I received from the Pittsburgh District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in response to your request for information relating to the Point Marion, Morgantown, Hildebrand, and Opekiska locks.

You may be assured that I have been pleased to contact the Pittsburgh Corps in your behalf and to make this information available to you. I hope you find that it is helpful.

With kind regards, I am

Sincerely yours, /s/ Robert C. Byrd

RCB:cdw

Enclosures

Letter From Pittsburgh District, dated October 24 2000.

Reply to attention of Plan Formulation Section

Honorable Robert C. Byrd

United States Senate

311 Senate Hart Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Byrd:

This is in response to your letter of 15 August 2000, in which you forwarded to us a letter from Mr. Strimbeck of Granville, West Virginia. Mr. Strimbeck was concerned with possible cutbacks in operations at the Monongahela River projects at Point Marion, Morgantown, Hildebrand, and Opekiska, and the negative effects of such cutbacks on the regional economy, and on recreational use of the river. Mr. Strimbeck requested lockage data that would allow him to better understand the changes that have occurred on the river over the past two decades, and to thereby allow him to develop a plan that would allow the locks to remain operational for the long-term future. In response, we have prepared (attached) a short statement that addresses the issues raised by Mr. Strimbeck that are related to Corps operations. Also included are the detailed data requested by Mr. Strimbeck.

We hope that the information we have provided will prove of use to Mr. Strimbeck. If there are any questions regarding this letter or the data contained herein, please contact Mr. Bill Frechione (412 395-7207) or Mr. Dave Turcsanyi (412 395-7183) of my staff.

Sincerely, /s/ David R. Ridenour, Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer

Enclosures