Commission agrees to hear presentation on Nottoway River National Scenic River study after mixed local reaction

Commissioner Austin reported on a recent listening session about a federal feasibility study to consider designating the Nottoway River as a National Scenic River; the river already has a state scenic designation. "It's a study," Austin told the commission, describing a proposed stewardship plan and a citizens committee to review findings.

Speakers at the listening session were mostly riverfront landowners and expressed concerns about trespass, camping and bank encroachment; Austin said those attendees did not endorse moving forward without further information. Commissioner (speaker 5) and others said the initial study phase would not obligate the county to accept any designation and stressed that the federal/state roles do not replace local control over private property. One commissioner noted that if the designation proceeds it could open avenues for grants (he cited roughly $75,000 per year as a potential local allocation) to help with stewardship.

Staff described two routes for national designation: an act of Congress or a governor’s request to the U.S. secretary of the interior; staff offered to compile a packet of background materials and the commission agreed it should review the information before making a formal recommendation. A commissioner moved to invite Jamie Craig, who presented at the Sussex listening session, to share his PowerPoint and the commission voted unanimously to add the presentation to the next agenda.

What’s next: staff will arrange for Jamie Craig to present and put the PowerPoint materials on the commission’s next meeting agenda so commissioners can evaluate the study’s scope and local concerns before deciding whether to recommend further action to the Board of Supervisors.