BUSHKILL - The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (NRA) has released a draft environmental assessment (EA) on a proposal to construct a 32-mile-long trail paralleling the Delaware River in the park's Pennsylvania District.

Designated by Congress as the Joseph M. McDade Recreational Trail, it would stretch almost the full length of the park and provide access points near the two largest communities bordering the park-Shawnee-on-the-Delaware in the south and Milford on the north. The trail would cover a varied terrain, providing a variety of challenges for users.

The draft environmental assessment deals with the environmental consequences of constructing this trail and is the third in a series of related planning efforts. The park's General Management Plan, completed in 1987, began the process by identifying the need for a park trail system. This year, the park completed a trails plan as an amendment to this plan. The trails plan, which incorporated public comments and was the subject of discussion at 11 public meetings, calls for a primary trail or "spine" paralleling the Delaware on each side of the river and stipulates that these two trails are the park's highest priority. These "spines" will later serve as frameworks for a network of park trails.

In 1995, Congress appropriated funding for the trail in PA, designating it as the Joseph M. McDade Recreational Trail. Although funded construction was held up until the park trail plan could be completed and other preparatory work finished.

Trail use will be restricted to hiking, biking and cross-country skiing. Wheelchair access and use will be feasible in some sections. The trail would be six feet wide with a compacted, crushed stone surface. Small trailheads are planned at intervals of approximately three miles.

Trail planners employed many strategies to avoid or minimize negative impacts to park resources including utilization of previously disturbed areas, minimization of wetland crossings and stream encroachments, consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service, seasonal restrictions on construction activities and completion of an assessment of the cultural landscape along the Route 209 corridor.

The EA is available for public review and comment for 30 days. All comments must be submitted by August 18. Copies of the EA are available at park headquarters in Bushkill, local libraries and on the park website ( www.nps.gov/dewa). Public workshops are tentatively scheduled for August 9 at 10:00 a.m. and August 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the Bushkill Visitor Center in Bushkill, PA.

NARROWSBURG - The 12th Annual Raft Trip and Summer Picnic sponsored by the Upper Delaware Council (UDC) is set for Saturday August 5. The event is open to the public.

Two raft trip lengths are planned. Lander's River Trips will provide the rafts, paddles, life jackets and safety instructions. The longer trip will launch at the Skinner's Falls base and proceed for 10 miles through an exciting whitewater stretch including two sets of rapids. Estimated float time is six hours. The shorter trip will launch at Lander's Narrowsburg Campground and take in a scenic five-mile stretch during an estimated three-hour float that traverses one set of rapids. The discounted cost for either trip is $14 for adults and $7 for children age 12 and under.

Rafters will park at Lander's Narrowsburg Campground. Check-in is 9:00 a.m. for the Skinner's Falls to Ten Mile River trip and 11:00 a.m. for the Narrowsburg to Ten Mile River trip. Shuttle buses will return participants to the campground to retrieve their vehicles or to attend the UDC's catered chicken barbecue.

The picnic will get underway at 4:00 p.m. under the pavilion at the Narrowsburg Campground. The menu includes a barbecued chicken half, corn on the cob, macaroni or potato salad, chips, iced tea, lemonade, watermelon and cake for the cost of $8 adults and $6 children age 12 and under. The barbecue is open to non-rafters as well.

Reservations with advance payment are required by July 24. Call Laurie Ramie at the UDC at 845/252-3022, fax 845/252-3359, or e-mail udcramie@ezaccess.net to request a registration form or more information.

MOUNTAINTOP - Pennsylvania Game Commission Northeast Regional Director Barry L. Warner announced an open house to be held on July 25 and 26 at the Crestwood Senior High School cafeteria, Route 309, Mountaintop, from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. both evenings to seek public input on the construction of a new public shooting range in Luzerne County.

"The open house format is intended to solicit comments on a variety of issues and/or concerns for potential site locations of a public shooting range," Warner said. "People who attend these open houses will be able to learn more about the public shooting ranges owned and operated by the Game Commission, and the reasons behind the proposed range construction."

PA Game Commissioner George Venesky first proposed the construction be completed on State Game Lands No. 119, Luzerne County, during a special meeting of the Board of Game Commissioners in February 1999, after receiving requests from members of the Georgetown Conservation Club. The Board approved up to $1,000 from the Game Fund for the project.

At the regularly-scheduled PA Game Commission Board Meeting in June 1999, Commissioner Venesky requested additional funds for construction of the range and the Board approved another $8,000 for the project.

In August 1999, officials of the Commission, along with members of the Georgetown Conservation Club and local dignitaries were on hand for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new range. However, the site along Tunnel Road, in Dennison Township, Luzeme County, generated opposition from local residents and township officials. An injunction to halt construction was filed by area residents in Commonwealth Court. In September 1999, the court issued a decision which denied the injunction and cleared the way to begin construction of the range.

Being sympathetic to the concerns of the local residents, Commission staff, in cooperation with local legislators and the Governor's Northeast Regional Office, have been looking at alternative construction sites for a "state-of-the-art" facility that will serve sportsmen and shooting enthusiasts. When completed, the new range is expected to provide between six and ten shooting stations at the 100-yard mark.

DINGMANS FERRY - The eleventh annual Kittatinny "On and Under the Delaware River Cleanup" will take place on July 25, 26, 27, and 28.

In the past ten years with an annual average of 463 volunteers, Kittatinny has rid the river of approximately 171 tons of refuse and 5,130 tires. During the 1999 cleanup a total of 20.04 tons of tires, aluminum cans, scrap metal and garbage was collected and properly disposed of by 562 devoted volunteers, plus Kittatinny staff members.

By canoeing, wading, snorkeling, and diving, the cleanup crew covers 70 underwater and shoreline miles from Ten Mile River, NY to Delaware Water Gap in PA and NJ.

To volunteer for the river cleanup call 570/FLOAT-KC.