PARSONS – Two groups have stepped forward announcing the desire to purchase the Canaan Valley Institute, located in Davis. Ron Hollis, manager of the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Judge Ronald G. Pearson, Chairman of the National Youth Science Foundation Board of Trustees, each spoke at the last Tucker County Commission meeting, expressing their desire to purchase CVI.
Hollis said his group, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has been pursuing the donation of the Canaan Valley Institute’s two buildings and 37 acres.
“This has been going on since June,” Hollis said. “I recently received a letter in mid-October that the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration has decided to allow the donation of the two buildings that CVI has along with 37 acres to the Fish and Wildlife Service.”
Hollis said he was starting the process of gathering comments, information and trying to get as much information as he can in regards to this.
“There was talk about gathering comments on Nov. 22 at Valley Vibes,” Hollis said. “I will be there between 4 and 7 p.m. at the Refuge, located in Davis. The main thing I want to do is tell people who are there that we want to hear their comments.”
Hollis said he is trying to let his leadership know the Fish and Wildlife Services will maintain a presence
in the Valley.
“They have the goal to reach out to youth in the area,” Hollis said. “We have been talking with National Youth Science Foundation to be a partner. The acquisition is what we hope to speak with folks about at that meeting. There will also be a two-week comment period, where folks can give email or written comments to be part of the record. We are trying to reach out to Youth Conservation Corps to get five students to work for this with a stewardship.”
Commissioner Diane Hinkle asked if Fish and Wildlife would be moving into the two buildings at the CVI.
“Right now, it is a potential transfer,” Hollis said. “NOAA went to Canaan Valley Institute, and before Fish and Wildlife can contact CVI, they had to go through NOAA. This is a potential transfer. The moving of the office into those headquarters has not yet been determined.”
Commissioner Lowell Moore asked if the public comments would be sent directly to NOAA.
“I am sure they will,” Hollis said. “I have had people tell me NOAA has already done their outreach as far as their comment period. That was news to me whenever I received it. I can ask that they look at the comments as well.”
Hollis said he did not know how the outreach was facilitated, but said he would ask those questions of NOAA.
Judge Ronald G. Pearson, Chairman of the National Youth Science Foundation, also addressed Tucker County Commissioners.
“I am here today because the decision that has been made preliminarily by NOAA is going to have critically important implications on the work and plans of the National Youth Science Foundation,” Pearson said. “I think it is going to have implications in the county as well.”
Pearson said NOAA did confirm that if the Fish and Wildlife cannot demonstration the requisites to take over CVI, our interest would be next in line to be considered.
“We were very disappointed in that decision in NOAA because we have the written right and the recorded instruments that we negotiated with CVI in 2006 and NOAA is knowledgeable and approved that if CVI could not expand their program to its full potential, we would have the right to use the facility and move in to that facility.”
Pearson said he believes that agreement is important to the National Youth Science Foundation and the community and the Mountain Valley.
Hollis said a meeting for public comments will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Tucker County Commissioners are hosting a similar meeting for public comments Dec. 3 at the Davis Fire Department; however a time has not yet been determined.
Also during the meeting, an announcement was made that the Tucker County Children’s Advocacy Center, located in the old Courthouse basement will sponsor an open house from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 10.
The next Tucker County Commission meeting is slated for 9 a.m. Dec. 10 in the Tucker County Courthouse Courtroom.
