This Land, Your Land

Boating on the upper segment of the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River is on hold after the U.S. Forest Service issued a stay Monday while appeals of the boating decision are reviewed.

"The six appeals we received on this decision have raised a number of complex issues," Ken Arney, Deputy Regional Forester for the Southern Region and the appeal reviewing officer for this decision, says in a news release published today. "Granting Greenfire Law's stay request will allow a meaningful administrative appeal process to continue based on the merits of each appellant's issues."

"While the appeal process continues, status quo will be maintained on the river, which will delay a move the agency made less than two weeks ago to open the upper river to boaters," the news release says.

Greenfire Law requested on behalf of Georgia Forest Watch, the Sierra Club and Wilderness Watch that the decision to allow boating be put on hold.

The environmental groups say the decision violates environmental laws and would cause damage to water quality, soils, riverbank and solitude experienced by visitors to the Upper Chattooga River. Boaters argue they should have the same access to the river that everyone else has.

The northern reaches of the river are in the Nantahala National Forest in Jackson and Macon counties, North Carolina.