Protesters disrupt public hearings on river plan, 06-12-1986

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Thursday, June 12, 1986, p. 1 and 19.

Anti-NPS protester Noel van Swol (center with arms raised) helps lead the disruption of the first public hearing on the draft River Management Plan at the Damascus School on June 4. After 90 minutes of demonstrating, van Swol took over the microphone, whereupon the officials closed the hearing and left.

Protesters disrupt public hearings on river plan

RIVER VALLEY -- No verbal comments were entered into the record at two of the four scheduled public hearings on the proposed River Management Plan, due to planned demonstrations by protesters against to the National Park Service (NPS) and the boisterous opposition of most the audience.

In Damascus on Wednesday, June 4, the hearing panel adjourned and walked out of the school auditorium after listening to an hour and a half of booing, chanting of "no park, no plan, no way," singing, and verbal attacks against officials on the stage by most of the over 300 people present.

William Matz, a leader of the Independent Landholders Association (ILA), helped to keep the demonstration alive by leading the chants, and at one point, parading around the room with a large sign depicting the NPS as worms in an apple. Anti-park spokesman Noel van Swol of Long Eddy, Upper Delaware Citizens Alliance president Donald Rupp, and other anti-NPS activists incited the crowd to present any individuals from presenting comments about the plan.

After about 90 minutes, van Swol took the speaker's microphone and announced, "We're going to suspend the rules and run a democratic meeting here."

Hearing officer Michael Gordon, NPS assistant regional director, then adjourned the meeting and the officials left. The panel also included: Robert "Chuck" Hoffman, of Foresight Consulting Group; Glenn Eugster, NPS regional planner; Robert Everest, of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC); James Coleman, NPS Mid-Atlantic regional director; LaRue Elmore, of the Citizens Advisory Council (CAC); Cochecton Supervisor Jean McCoach, of the Conference of Upper Delaware Townships (COUP); Bruce McMillan, NY Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC); Roger Fickes, PA Department of Environmental Resources (DER); and John Hutzky, NPS Upper Delaware superintendent.

"They're walking out!" hooted van Swol, as the officials left the building.

"Come on, Mr. Coleman, speak to us, or don't you have anything to say?" the crowd continued to taunt.

An anonymous voice from the crowd shouted, "Burn them out!"

In explaining the walkout after the hearing, Coleman stated "He's (van Swol) taken over the meeting," and then indicated that written testimony would be accepted.

Regional planner Mike Gordon said that the disruption was expected by park service personnel. "There will be four public hearings and this was one of them. This (disruption) only denies the right of the public to speak."

"There will be a final plan supported by the towns or not, he added.

Asked about the recent referenda held in the three Pennsylvania townships, in which voters rejected the current management plan, Gordon responded, "We see the vote as significant. People want the plan changed and we are open to change."

The crowd lingered for another hour or so after the meeting ended, with many listening to a spirited discourse by van Swol. He accused the NPS of engineering a "federal land grab" to deprive residents of their homes and livelihoods. He expressed a determination to rid the valley of the park service by deauthorizing the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. van Swol's remarks were met with loud applause and cheers from those remaining in the crowd which had filled the gymnasium.

The audience also heard briefly from other leaders of the ILA, as well as citizens who read prepared statements. Outside, Matz told COUP planner Chuck Hoffman, as he left the building, "They [NPS personnel] had better be bullet-proof. And you had better be bullet-proof too."

At the next hearing on Thursday night, June 5 in the Delaware Valley Central School near Callicoon, similar protests and interruptions took place. An attempt by NPS officials to negotiate with the protesters, in part by agreeing to extend each speaker's initial time limit from five to ten minutes, broke down just prior to the hearing's start.

This time the panel left after only 15 minutes in obvious frustration over the disturbance.

van Swol again took the stage, but this time found that the officials had taken the microphones with them. "Is there anyone here who knows how to operate the sound system?" he asked. No one volunteered.

The audience quieted down to hear a speech which again outlined many residents' fears of losing their homes and liberties to a burdensome federal bureaucracy.

The beginning of van Swol's remarks were interrupted a few times by a small group of plan supporters who beat on and kicked the bleachers to make noise: "What's the matter? Can't you take a taste of your own. medicine?" one shouted back at the angry crowd.

Among his other remarks, van Swol called upon Secretary of the Interior Donald P. Hodel "to immediately fire" NPS regional director James Coleman.

van Swol then introduced Mike Stem, who described himself as "the only announced candidate" to oppose McHugh for the 28th District (NY) Congressional election in November. Stern said he is seeking the Republican, Conservative, and Right-To-Life nominations. If elected, "I'm introducing legislation to deauthorize the Upper Delaware," he promised.

Stem claimed to have the backing of Citizen Alliance president Don Rupp; Rolf Beck, president of the ILA; and President Ronald Reagan, with whom he asserted he is "personal friends."

"Speaking for Ronald Reagan, right now, he doesn't know this is going on. Right now, I'm going to Washington and as sure as my mother is lying in her grave, they're going to know what the NPS is pulling," Stem swore.

Stem was booed by the crowd when he mentioned his ten years experience as an IRS empl09ee, but was otherwise enthusiastically received.

Ed Giancontieri of Pond Eddy tries to present his views at the Damascus public hearing, but cannot be heard over the shouts of anti-NPS demonstrators.