Answer to T.V.A question on detecting their land:veryangry:

[tndiggin]

Thank you for your inquiry. TVA must balance public use of its managed
lands with its legal responsibilities to protect both natural and
cultural resources. Based on the results of a recent evaluation, TVA has
changed its guidelines for metal detecting and will no longer allow this
activity on its managed lands in order to ensure the protection of
sensitive, protected archaeological sites.

Environmental Information Center
-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2012 9:31 AM
To: Law, Charles W; EIC
Subject: EIC: Question from website

On Monday, September 3, 2012 at 09:30:37, the following data was
submitted from http://www.tva.com/environment/eic/

EIC Question
Question: I have just found out that T.V.A. are
withholding metal detecting permit's for recreational use, and find this
disturbing.I live near the lake I pay my electric bill every month as I
have for the past 47 yrs. not letting someone enjoy their sport at the
lake just like the boater's , fishermen , camper's , muscle diver's,
commercial fisherman, riverboat's ect. all who use this lake in their
own way reap from it's benefit's, I indeed feel this is wrong. I have
lot's of detector friends and they are all great people with high
regards of the land they hunt, I am not sure of the reason why you have
done this, so a response would be the cordial thing to do.

thank you

 

[MNCoinhunter]

Blame it on the metal detecting reality TV shows .. Our beloved hobby has been sold out by a few greedy detectorists.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

And this is why I find it odd, that people think "permits" are a good idea for all public lands. Example: someone gets booted (perhaps an isolated incident by a cop or gardener in a bad mood one day, who knows), so the md'r laments: "wouldn't it be nice if my city (or county or state or utility or whatever) instituted a permit system?" But the only thing a "permit" does, is simply put it on the radar of bureaucrats, as something to perpetually review, annually, from here on out, forever. And .... doh ... let's face it: there is connotations with metal detecting. One of which is the dreaded "cultural heritage" thing TVA has given you. That you (gasp) might find a 1961 or older penny, or a horseshoe that had historical significance (and thus should be retrieved only by qualified archies, and put in museums for ALL to enjoy, NOT just you and your greedy mantle place personal collection).

So I bet the only reason the TVA ever had "permits" to begin with (however many years ago they were instituted) is because md'rs probably went in asking permission. Ie.: "can we metal detect here please?" (whereas, perhaps before that, no one ever gave it thought, either way). Someone at the TVA probably figured "we better permit this, to address the 'pressing question'". Then sure as h*ck, that only puts you and I on their radar of things they need to think about, from there on out.

I bet if no one had ever gone in asking (or asking "please implement permits", blah blah), that it would be like any other innocuous use of the lake, to this day. Ie.: the old "sometimes no one cares, till you ask" psychology

 

[Big Red]

What evidence do you have to support that the TVA policy changed because of a metal detecting Tv Show?

 

[MNCoinhunter]

tndiggin ... I wonder if there is a way to obtain a copy of their "recent evaluation" .. Is it public information ?

Big Red, it was wrong of me to make that assumption, sorry. It just seems like more rules and restrictions have been put in place since this hobby was shown in a negative light by guys like Ric Savage. Of course there are always the numbskulls who trespass and blatantly break laws to cash in on the relic trade. They far outnumber the TV shows I'm afraid. Didn't intend to ruffle any feathers with my previous comment. And actually it's been rather peaceful in these forums since that whole reality show hoopla had everybody fired-up. I like it that way ..

 

[Roscue2]

Last thing the TVA should be investing their time in is banning mding. Let us all not forget the sludge spill from a few yrs ago. They got a long way still to go with that mess that they caused.

 

[tndiggin]

Bigred ,Mcdave is merely stating that the show cast a dark shadow on the hobby I don't think it influenced their decision in the least not sure what their agenda is , but the show is a disgrace to the hobby , and I can state first hand that it has had a negative impact on the community, case in point a couple week's ago I went to a old house to ask permission to hunt and the guy told me to leave and that he did not want anyone on his land that acted like those guy's on TV, I tried to tell him the regular people who detect aren't like that and he said did you not hear me I said leave.
It doesn't feel very good to be treated like a criminal when you are a good law biding citizen who respects the hobby for what it is.

And as for TVA there are several places on their land that allows for horseback riding and ATVs have you ever seen the damage the thing's can to to the ground and do you think they cover the rut's they make. I will not let this matter go out quietly !!!!!!

 

[Big Red]

Yet It does NOT go away if we keep talking about it. Making false statements about a show causing the TVA to do away with any metal detecting is no more healthy for the hobby than the show itself. I had talked to TVA several years ago at Watts Bar lake and I was told then to "enjoy it while you can", since they have looked at doing away with permits and metal detecting for years. Mainly because of cost spent on enforcing rules as well as people abusing the system. Now on the otherside of the coin i have recieved permission to hunt a property because of those tv shows.