Columbia Gas has donated $30,000 for the Nature House project, a nature center to be constructed at the Walker Nature Center. The total cost for the project is $1.5 million, of which $1.25 million has already been raised. This has some people expecting construction might start in 2008, as reported in the Fairfax Times:
Shaw said 2007 has been the most successful year for Nature House fund-raising and it has given her good reason to believe construction will begin in 2008. The campaign passed the million dollar mark this past year and has climbed steadily to $1.25 million.
“These types of gifts are just what our capital campaign is looking for,” Shaw said.
The Nature House has been long in the works, in 2001 a Reston Association referendum was passed by 70% allowing for construction of such a building. The new center will be a place where people can learn more about the environment around them by attending exhibits, lectures, and tours.
December 23rd, 2007 at 11:07 pm
I am really upset and disappointed to hear that Reston Association has accepted money from a company like Columbia Gas. This is viewed as a prepayment by Columbia Gas for the damage to the Reston environment they have or will be causing in the future as a result of their clear cutting project on the pipeline. Damage has been devastating in Herndon and Great Falls already.
Columbia is also a company that has applied for a special exemption permit…to be exempt from the Endangered Species Act…as a company cost cutting measure. Brent Archer (CGT spokesperson/spin doctor/ half-truth speaker) states this will save the Department of Fishery and Wildlife a huge amount of money, and Columbia too…with each project of Columbia’s not having to be individually reviewed for the Endangered Species Act. Nice of Archer to think of cost savings for government agency, when their job is to “police” companies like Columbia Gas who damage the environment everyday in their clearing operations.
Archer does not want company projects held up over little issues like wood bats…Environmental experts claim 1000’s of animals lives are in jeopardy if Columbia is granted the exemption, over 13,000 miles of their pipeline. Columbia Gas is an American Disgrace…and it’s disgraceful that Reston Associations accepted money from this irresponsible company that has it’s number one priority its company’s bottom line…clear cutting is not a DOT government regulation nor does DOT require aerial inspections (CGT’s reason for clearcutting). Columbia clear cuts to save money (one drastic destructive clearing and it’s permanently deforested).
Same with aerial inspection…another cost saving measure for the company. In addition, the lack of patrols, aerial or ground (only 4-12) a year leaves the pipeline unmonitored for over 350 days a year…which is alarming, especially when Columbia clear cuts in the name of public safety…once again, an American Disgrace. Alarming because the pipelines are almost 60 years old and are only physically inspected once every three years…Save the Reston Environment…stop Columbia Gas and don’t accept funding from them to look the other way for damage they will cause.
Visit http://www.stopcolumbiagas.com