Article by S. Reese, A. Gerlach
Over the River – January 2006 – Colorado Central Magazine
FRIENDS OF OVER THE RIVER, an organization supporting Christo & Jeanne-Claude’s Over The River (OTR) project, held their first meeting on December 5 in Salida.
“It was a great meeting. There were over 20 people present, and there was a lot of good information available for all of us,” said Elizabeth Ritchie, one of the group’s organizers.
“The purpose of this group is not just to support the Over The River project, but to do so by making sure that accurate and current information regarding important issues — and the actions being taken to respond to those issues — is known to all of us who live in the valley,” said Alison Gerlach, another of the organizers [and a co-author of this news release].
Information about the on-going OTR process, which will eventually determine whether permits are issued or not, was provided by Kathryn Wadsworth, the Inter-agency Communications Coordinator for the OTR project.
Because the project will have impacts reaching beyond the actual area where the river will be blanketed, an “Issues Team” has been established to insure that all of the many impacts throughout the valley are presented and thoroughly addressed. Current members of that team include the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fremont County Commissioners and other affected Fremont County organizations, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State Parks, Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Chaffee County Commissioners and other affected Chaffee organizations, Canon City, Salida, and the Federal Aviation Administration. The issues identified, the information developed, and the member’s responses will be shared and discussed by the entire team.
It is important to note that before the OTR project can become a reality, several of these organizations will require that the project meet their specific criteria to determine whether or not they will issue a permit.
First, and going forward now, is the Bureau of Land Management’s Environmental Assessment. If the BLM decides the OTR project may go forward, CDOT will develop a Traffic Plan necessary to handle increased traffic. These two documents would then be presented to the Fremont County Planning & Zoning Commission. The findings of this body will be forwarded to the Fremont County Commissioners, and the commissioners will determine whether to issue a Fremont County Temporary Use Permit. If that permit is issued, State Parks will then consider whether or not they will issue a Temporary Use Permit. All of these steps are necessary before the OTR project is approved.
A brief description and history of the OTR project was provided by Steve Reese. He referred participants to the OTR website, www.christojeanneclaude.net. for a project update. According to the site, if all of the necessary permits are obtained by the end of 2006, the Over The River Project would be installed at the earliest in 2009.
The project, a temporary work of art, consists of translucent fabric panels suspended on cables over the surface of the Arkansas River. The fabric will cover 6.9 to 7 miles of the 40.7 miles of river between Canon City and Salida, and is divided into 8 areas, with breaks in between. The panels will be suspended from 8 to 25 feet above the river, and only above the surface of the water. Fabric will not extend over the riverbank.
Reese observed that many concerns regarding the project have been identified since Christo & Jeanne-Claude introduced their proposal for Over the River in 1996. A section that details those concerns, and the responses Christo and Jeanne-Claude have made, is on the OTR website.
Friends of Over the River feel that the artists’ extensive responses indicate that they are willing and eager to address the issues that are important to residents in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. Some of the issues they’ve addressed are the construction and materials necessary to make the project itself safe; wildlife protection; environmental protection; traffic control & public safety requirements; law enforcement and communications needs; the OTR Project Work Force; sanitation and garbage; insurance and bonding; and a big one – OTR project costs and who pays them.
ONE OF THE GOALS of Friends of Over the River is to get this information out, because the group strongly believes that supporters can be most effective by providing substantive information in a positive manner.
The next very important step for the group is to let people know about the first stage of the permitting process — the BLM’s Environmental Analysis, which is underway now. Public scoping meetings are scheduled for the 3rd week in January in Canon City, Cotopaxi, and Salida. At these meetings Christo and Jeanne-Claude themselves will be present to provide information about OTR. Tables will also be set up to address specific issues and provide information.
Friends of Over the River hope people will visit as many of the tables as they can. The organization believes that those who want the project to progress must weigh in during this critical public comment period, by writing down their comments and indicating their support. Such commentary should be specifically addressed to the BLM and include the contributor’s name and address.
The next meeting of Friends of Over the River is set for Tuesday, January10th at 6 p.m. in the basement of Bongo Billy’s Salida Café at 300 W. Sackett in Salida Anybody interested in supporting the on-going process for the Over The River project is invited to attend.
