HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-669-R t� {
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BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL OF BATESVILLE, ARKANSAS
RESOLUTION OPPOSING CHANNELIZATION OF CACHE RIVER-BAYOU DEVIEW
WHEREAS , The channelization of Cache River-Bayou Deview
will drain some 2 ,000 square miles of land, and destroy a most
valuable resource of Arkansas; and
WHEREAS, an estimated 160 ,000 acres of land will be lost,
due to sedimentation, lowering of the water table, or cleared; and,
WHEREAS, the main justification of this $60 million
project is attributed to increase row crop production, at a time
when the Congress of the United States has determined that it is
not in the national interest to clear more land for agricultural
production; and,
�r WHEREAS, this large tax burden is being borne by the
U. S. Taxpayers for the questionable benefits of a small number of
large landowners; and,
WHEREAS, hunting and fishing will be very seriously
jeopardized, and,
WHEREAS, the entire ecology of the river basin will be
altered, habitat for deer, squirrel, turkey, migratory fowl and
all other indigenous species; and,
WHEREAS, the White River National Wildlife Refuge will
be imperiled; and,
WHEREAS, the native hardwoods that flourish in the bottom-
lands will die; and,
WHEREAS , the Townsend division of Potlatch Forests has
been ofreat economic benefit to this country ry as well as to this
community; and,
WHEREAS, this industry will be lost to Stuttgart,
Arkansas; and,
WHEREAS, Stuttgart, Arkansas enjoys national prestige
as being the Duck Capitol of the World; and,
WHEREAS, the leading conservation organizations in the
U. S. Vigorously oppose this project; rate it as being one of the
most destructive projects conceived by man; and,
f
WHEREAS thisdestro ro ect will
p j y a priceless heritage
of the future generations ; and,
WHEREAS, the first phase of this channelization project
way found by Federal Courts to be in violation of law, and halted;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the BATESVILLE CITY
COUNCIL hereby expresses total opposition to the Cache River-Bayou
Deview Channelization Project and requests that U. S. Congress de-
authorize this project.
MAYOR
ADOPTED:
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