SAVE OUR WATERWAY!


December 2007 ... BREAKING NEWS ... Congress voted to fund the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (including the Dismal Swamp Canal) for FY08. For the first time in many years, funding has been approved for Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. In the 2008 President’s Budget, $561,000 was appropriated to the Norfolk District, US Army Corps of Engineers budget for the Dismal Swamp Canal. However, an additional $337,000 is needed to operate locks, bridges and maintain the Dismal Swamp Canal as part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway ~ for a total appropriation of $898, 000.

Operation and maintenance (O&M) for the Dismal Swamp Canal is listed in the Energy & Water appropriations bill under Corps of Engineers ~ Civil for Fiscal Year 2008 Project List as “Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway ~ DSC, VA” (The Dismal Swamp Canal is located in both northern NC and southern VA; therefore, it comes under the Norfolk District, COE).

If you would like to help:

1. Contact your Congressmen requesting "An additional $337,000 in appropriations in the 2007-08 Energy & Water appropriations bill for the Norfolk District, US Army Corps of Engineers, for continued operation of the Dismal Swamp Canal locks and waterway as part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway."

2. But most important, because of our location in the Norfolk District, US Army Corps of Engineers, contact the Virginia & North Carolina Congressional Representatives with the same request:

� NC SENATOR ELIZABETH DOLE: PH: 202.224.6342 ~ FX: 202.224.1100 ~ Email: http://dole.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.ContactForm
� NC SENATOR RICHARD BURR: PH: 202.224.3154 ~ FX: 202.228.2981 ~ Email: http://burr.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home
� NC CONGRESSMAN G. K. BUTTERFIELD: PH: 202.225.3101 ~ FX: 202.225.3354 ~ Email: http://www.house.gov/butterfield/contact.shtml
� NC CONGRESSMAN WALTER B. JONES: PH: 202.225.3415 ~ FX: 202.225.3286~ Email: http://jones.house.gov/html/contact_form_email.cfm

o VA SENATOR JOHN WARNER: PH: 202.224.2023 ~ FX: 202.224.6295 ~ Email: http://warner.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm
o VA SENATOR JAMES WEBB: PH: 202.224.4024 ~ FX: 202.224.5432 ~ Email: http://webb.senate.gov/contact/
o VA CONGRESSMAN J. RANDY FORBES: PH: 202.225.6365 ~ FX: 202.226.1170 ~ Email: http://www.house.gov/forbes/zipauth.htm
o VA CONGRESSMAN ROBERT C. SCOTT: PH: 202.225.8351 ~ FX: 202.225.8354 ~ Email: http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Join us in our commitment to preserve the oldest hand-dug waterway in the country ~ a lovely 202-year old treasure.

Thank you!