Virginia Congressman Bob Good and Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner are paving the way for an emergency exit in Wintergreen in response to wildfire concerns.
The Congress members introduced the Blue Ridge Fire Safety Act of 2024, a bill aimed at facilitating the construction of an emergency access road that would connect the top of the mountain to the Blue Ridge Parkway in Nelson County.
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The push for the 400-foot emergency gravel road has been ongoing for more than three decades, with the Wintergreen Property Owners Association repeatedly seeking approval from the NPS to build the road; however, the NPS has continued to reject the proposal due to “inconsistency with parkway purposes.”
Currently, there’s only one way in and out, which means thousands would be cut off and unable to leave if there was a fire.
This marks the second bill introduced by Rep. Good. The initial version of the bill was introduced in January.
“For too long, a National Park Service legal interpretation prevented the Wintergreen community from receiving the permission it needed to ensure the safety of its residents,” said Good. “I am pleased to have worked with the Park Service and Senators Kaine and Warner on this bipartisan, bicameral effort to make the Virginians in Wintergreen safer from the threat of natural disasters. Bureaucratic precedent must never compromise the safety of Americans, so I am glad that this bill can finally remedy that.”
Kaine expressed his agreement, saying: “It’s critical that first responders be able to quickly get where they need to go during an emergency, but Wintergreen residents currently only have one road for entry and exit, which poses a major challenge. That’s why I’m introducing this legislation, which would enhance public safety by taking the first step in building another road for Wintergreen residents.”
Given the recent cooperation of the NPS, this legislation includes a map outlining exactly where the emergency access road would be. The emergency road would be funded by Wintergreen, not taxpayers.