Testify at WSSC’s Hearing THIS Thursday to Help Preserve Trail Riding

January 23, 2013 — PLEASE HELP PRESERVE TRAIL RIDING!!

We need everyone’s help to prevent the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission from implementing a regulation precedent that could impair riding at any venue.

Please come to testify at WSSC’s hearing this Thursday, January 24, 2013, 7–10 p.m., at the WSSC Auditorium, 14501 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel, MD 20707. Preregister to comment at the meeting at 301-206-8100 or email your comments to communications@wsscwater.com. Please also send all comments to Councilwoman Mary Lehman at CouncilDistrict1@co.pg.md.us. County Councils can prevent these egregious rules from being enacted by enforcing the wording in WSSC’s budget legislation, “Public access that is more restrictive than policies in effect prior to the 2011 changes should be supported by the science and industry best practices.”

Brief background: There has been a long disagreement with WSSC initially closing their equestrian trail, claiming it was “the biggest source” of sediment in their reservoirs and made their water hard to treat. This generated so large a public outcry that WSSC contracted a quarter million dollar outside study to support their accusation. This year-long study by EA Engineering basically supported all the equestrians’ claims—that the old equestrian trail was “excellent” with “little or no evidence of erosion observed along any portion of the trail,” that the Access Road to which WSSC moved riding has “extremely steep slopes with substantial gullies and washed out areas,” “not suitable for … horseback riding,” “potentially dangerous for horses” and “the dominant source of sediments and associated run-off contaminants originating within WSSC buffer property.” The study further points out that access points to the watershed are largely “unsuitable” and/or “unsafe” and should be improved if they are to be used.

WSSC has now issued new draft regulations that, if enforced, would effectively eliminate horseback riding.These regulations include:

1. Packing out all horse droppings from even the distant portions of their forest trail (not just the parking lot, where it should be done). This killer rule is not suggested in EA’s report, nor is it warranted. Veterinary literature shows droppings of riding-age horses basically do not contain problematic pathogens. As far as we know, no other forested riding venue requires the packing out of horse poop. Packing in a shovel and bag, then dismounting and remounting on the trail with the gathered poop and packing it out or using a horse-diaper would be impossible and/or unsafe for many riders and horses.2. They made illegal the “cutting, trimming, clearing of trees, branches …,” basically ANY trail maintenance. How will this work be done? WSSC has not had sufficient staff to maintain the trails for many years. Point of proof is the unmaintained condition of their own access road that the EA study says is the main source of sediment in the reservoir.

3. WSSC will require adjoining horse properties to pay an $80 fee and commercial stables $250 to enter the watershed from their properties.

4. The use permit will be $70/year (before 2010, it was $30; last year it was $60), possibly the most expensive trail-riding venue in the state. The previous free entry for seniors is being eliminated at a time when most organizations are encouraging seniors to exercise.

5. They are not reopening winter riding, claiming they need to “close the watershed during the wetter winter months when there is less foliage and ground cover to reduce erosion and runoff.” That argument is false. Winter provides a thick blanket of fallen leaves in the forest, while in summer there is minimal ground cover due to the deep shade. Riding has taken place during the winter for many decades. The EA study reports that the trail remains “excellent.”

6. Riders and hikers will need to check the WSSC website before going onto the trails. WSSC will post online each day if trails are open for use depending on surface conditions.

7. WSSC’s new regulations do not mention riding on the Triadelphia Reservoir Access Road, which was suggested in the EA’s report. WSSC’s own study did not find horseback riding problematic. So why are these rules so punitive? Are they trying to abolish riding?Your comments would be a great help! Go to www.wsscwater.com for details.