Here is a copy/paste from Doug Markham.......
Ok, the Nashville meeting is history. Probably 350 to 400 folks there tonight at McGavock (maybe more. It was a pretty big place) . A good turnout and lot of passion and good behavior all around. The Corps was cordial and made sure everyone got to talk. I don't think anyone left there tonight happy with the answers we got or any less determined to continue the battle to stop cables and buoys from going down. Safety was the theme and it didn't matter how often the real safety numbers were brought up---the Corps has to protect us---it's all about safety they say. Liability is not the main issue, according to the Corps, but I will never believe that. The 1996 policy was also repeated again and again as a reason why this implementation must take place, but no great answers to why it has never been be adhered to other than other commanders probably didn't want to face mad fishermen. The good news--this is a long way from over. Kentucky County Executives Wade White and Chris Lasher met with the General Walsh of the COE in Washington. With him were Senator Alexander, and Congressman Jim Cooper (TN) and Congressman Ed Whitfield (TN). A press conference was held immediately after the meeting and Senator Alexander and Congressman Whitfield both said they would work to try and get the Corps to work out a compromise where we could continue to fish below dams except during heavy spillage. However, they both noted that it the Corps would not work with them that they would move to have legislation passed forcing a different outcome. This is the last thing they won't to do--that was made clear--but it was also made clear that the COE should work with the wildlife agencies in Tennessee and Kentucky for compromise that lets us keep fishing. TWRA Director Ed Carter told the Corps of Engineers that the agency would continue to enforce life jacket laws below our dams if the COE would work with us and he said he would ask the agency's commission to even make life jacket laws more strict (perhaps not allow inflatables to be worn below dams, as an example) if the COE would work with the agency. I was proud of Ed Carter and TWRA. I was proud of everyone, but from the get go it was obvious it would be a night where many questions would go unanswered, and they were, or evaded, or not answered to satisfaction. The commander was polite and stood on the stage and took the brunt of questions and comments. But most of us have been around long enough to know when we aren't getting real answers to our questions and we mumble in the crowd --but here's the deal. Keep calling your congressmen and letting them know that this is wrong. Because it is. The waters above and below those dams are not the Corps of Engineers. No way did a policy written in 1995 change a few months later n 1996 to deny us access. This is not a safety issue. Look at the numbers. Thanks to everyone for showing up tonight. Thanks to many of you who couldn't be there tonight for making calls. Congressman Black, and Blackburn also had representatives at the meeting in Nashville.
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