Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) today announced the formation of a Community Task Force to address the issues raised by the tree-cutting last year on Daniel Snyder’s property. The Task Force held its first meeting today in Rockville, Maryland and will work on developing greater protections along the C&O Canal National Historic Park.
At a meeting held earlier this week, the Task Force discussed the scope of its responsibilities and objectives for its work. In addition to representatives from Van Hollen’s office, attendees included State Senator Rob Garagiola (D-District 15) and representatives from Rep. Roscoe Bartlett’s (R-MD) office and Montgomery County Councilmember Howard Denis (R-District 1). Also present were a broad range of stakeholders, including representatives of the National Park Service, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, the C&O Canal Association, the C&O Canal National Historical Park Advisory Commission, the Audubon Naturalist Society, the Potomac Conservancy, and the West Montgomery County Citizens Association, as well as interested members of the community. The meeting was facilitated by Dan Nees, Director of the University of Maryland’s Environmental Finance Center.
Van Hollen stated, “I am pleased that we have been able to bring together key elected officials, representatives from the National Park Service, and members of the conservation community to work towards the common goal of protecting the vital resources of the Park for current and future generations.”
The Task Force’s priorities include educating Park users, landowners and government officials with regard to the regulations of the C&O Canal National Historic Park; reviewing the enforcement of existing laws protecting the Park; strengthening communication and cooperation between levels of government; and evaluating the allocation of resources for the Park. The Task Force plans to meet monthly and will provide periodic recommendations before issuing a final report.