UPPER MONONGAHELA COMMITTEE FOR BETTER BOATING
DONALD C. STRIMBECK
P. O. Box 519
Granville WV 26534-0519

1 June 2000

Representative Alan B. Mollohan
2346 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington DC 20515-4801

Dear Congressman Mollohan:

Please see the enclosed fax I received yesterday from Bob Gall, re Bob's letter to Senator Byrd concerning the lock hours issue. Bob is the owner of Riverside Marine here on the Monongahela River. Bob started Riverside Marine in 1962.

My family has known Bob since 1941. My family moved to Morgantown in June 1941, as my dad was hired by DuPont to run the boiler room, coke ovens, and water gas sets at the Morgantown Ordnance Works, for the duration of WWII. As a teenager, Bob worked for my dad, until Bob got drafted into the Army.

Those of us comprising the Upper Monongahela Committee for Better Boating hope that you will favorably address the lock hours issue, as we've requested in previous letters to you. We also desire that one of your staffers attend our meeting with representatives from the Pittsburgh District, US Army Corps of Engineers, 7pm, Tuesday 6 June, at the Westwood Middle School (one mile from Morgantown Lock & Dam), River Road, Morgantown.

Sincerely,

ENCL: Bob Gall letter to Senator Byrd

cc: Senator Byrd
Senator Rockefeller

TEXT OF BOB GALL'S LETTER

May 27, 2000

The Honorable Senator Robert C. Byrd
311 Senate Hart office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Sir:

I am writing concerning the closure of the Hildebrand and Opekiska Locks on the Monongahela River south of Morgantown W.Va. As you know, because it was principally with your help, that they exist, there are millions of dollars invested.

The Corps of Engineers are now closing these locks for two shifts per day, unless needed by commercial traffic. This in effect shuts down the upper 25 miles of the water way, to pleasure boats, unless passage can be made during the hours between 8 am and 4pm, during the day.

As you know, the Monongahela River is simply an extension of the intercoastal water way which extends from New York to Brownsville Texas and the Corps of Engineers spends much time and money maintaining this waterway, its harbors, beaches, jettys, etc. In effect, our liquid superhighway.

As a small Marina owner I can attest to the fact that many people read about the beauty of the Mon river and travel great distances to enjoy it. Last year for instance, we had two families from the state of Washington haul their trailerable houseboats here and used the waterways to return to Kansas City Mo. It is common to have people transit from here to Florida or Texas. One customer made the complete circuit of the Eastern US via the Great Lakes and the Intercoastal waterways. Almost weekly boaters from the Pittsburgh area stop here because of the lack of ability to use the upper locks after 4pm.

What we are asking is that the upper Mon River is kept open at least two shifts per day from May 1 to October 30.

I am enclosing a letter published by the "Upper Monongahela Committee for Better Boating." This outlines the rationale for the needed congressional action to permit the Corps of Engineers to make this happen.

/S/ Sincerely, Robert L. Gall, Owner Riverside Marine Co., Rt. 1, Box 239, Maidsville WV 26541.