
DATE: Wednesday, October 29, 1997           TAG: 9710290670

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY SCOTT HARPER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   83 lines

THE JAMES RUNS THROUGH CENTURIES OF RICH HISTORY GROUPS UNITE TO SEEK ``AMERICAN HERITAGE'' STATUS FOR THE RIVER.

It nurtured the first permanent English settlement in the New World at Jamestown, suffered the worst environmental disaster in Virginia history and can boast some of the most productive public oyster and clam beds in the commonwealth.

The James River, from its headwaters in mountainous Botetourt County west of Lynchburg to its salty mouth in industrial Hampton Roads, remains a rich natural resource, as diverse as it is resilient.

In recognition of this past and present stature, a wide umbrella of 18 counties, 11 cities, eight conservation groups and two Indian tribes will petition the federal government to declare the James an ``American Heritage River.''

President Clinton opened what has become a national talent search - as well as a thick political debate - by promising in his State of the Union address to choose 10 rivers that would enjoy special attention and environmental celebrity.

Assuming the heritage program is not blocked by Congress, applications are due Dec. 10. An announcement of the winners is expected early next year.

Tonight, local organizers will present the results of their months of planning and brainstorming and will take public comments on their plan at a meeting at The Regional Building in Chesapeake. The hearing begins at 7 p.m.

Organizers want to show as much public support for the river designation as possible, given recent objections by Henrico and Botetourt counties that threaten to undercut the application.

Both counties are suspicious of the program, fearing it may open the door to more federal influencing of local land planning and property rights. Bridge projects, new dams and waterfront development might be restricted, they argue.

``Any adverse influence such as a federal designation can be a major deterrent to growth within our jurisdiction,'' James B. Dorti, chairman of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors, wrote in a letter explaining the thinking of his suburban Richmond county.

Heritage supporters, including Virginia Sen. Charles S. Robb, say such arguments hold no water. The program involves no new federal money and no new regulations, but merely attempts to cast a positive light on communities that have come together to fight for their backyard river.

At most, ``there will be better capabilities to access federal grants and assistance that are out there already,'' said Patti Jackson, executive director of the James River Association, an environmental group.

If the James River is chosen, Jackson said, ``we'd get some national exposure'' that likely would increase tourism among history and environmental buffs.

In addition, she said, each river would receive a federal liaison, ``a navigator,'' as that employee would be called, to help coordinate activities among riverfront communities.

``We essentially connect the dots to what's going on in Richmond, in Lynchburg, in Hampton Roads,'' Jackson said. ``It helps us stay together as a group committed to looking after our river.''

The James fits the heritage bill perfectly, she and other advocates argue. The river is rich in Colonial and American history, most famously at Jamestown. It overcame a devastating spill of kepone, a toxic chemical that closed the river to fishing in the 1970s, and continues to harbor remnants of the spill in its bottom sediments.

It supports a commercial fishing trade, offers white-water rafting, floats cargo ships as well as Navy warships, and even stimulates a budding wine industry on its shores.

In Congress, the program still faces objections, mostly from Republicans from Western states that have been feuding with the government over public lands.

One bill, sponsored by an Idaho congresswoman, would prohibit any federal agency from spending money or targeting personnel for the heritage program. No Virginia representative is co-sponsoring the measure. ILLUSTRATION: JAMES RIVER

VP Map

HEARING TONIGHT

A coalition of government, business and environmental groups has

completed its plan seeking federal designation of the James River as

an ``American Heritage River.'' The public is encouraged to attend a

hearing on the plan this evening.

Where: The Regional Building, 723 Woodlake Drive, Chesapeake.

When: 7 p.m.

Why: To hear what the designation from President Clinton would

mean and to offer suggestions and ideas.