| Allagash History | River Drivers Agreement | MOA |

AWW River Drivers Agreement

The finished product, that has been endorsed by Citizens to Protect the Allagash and all of the previously polarized interests, sets a great framework for an action plan that will improve the wilderness protection of the river.  The most notable highlights are:

• No development at John's Bridge! There will be no parking lot and no developed canoe launch --  Local fishermen who currently put canoes in at the bridge, illegally, will now apply for a special sticker that can be used only in May and September.

• Several inappropriate roads and trails will be closed;

• the State plans to move aggressively to acquire additional "wilderness" lands for the waterway;

• Unnecessary buildings and camps will be removed; and *the State will begin a carrying capacity study and will research a reservation system - similar to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.  Some of the local concerns about access were solved by agreeing to improve roads and trails to some of the existing legal access points.

The Sierra Club, as a member group of Citizens to Protect the Allagash, has been involved with developing the wilderness platform for this process, recommending participants for the stakeholders meeting, and prioritizing the items to be implemented within the next year. We have thanked the Governor (and encourage you to do the same) for committing the time and resources to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway when his administration has such a full plate. We will continue to monitor and participate in the implementation of actions to improve the wilderness character of the Allagash.