Our waterways are on the mend

(Todd Deluccia is a

watershed specialist for the

Cameron County Conservation

District).

Since the state has settled with Norfolk Southern over the sodium hydroxide spill of June 30, 2006, many questions have been asked and rumors have arisen about how the money is going to be spent.

There are two "pots" of money. The Fish and Boat Commission (F&BC) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) settled jointly with Norfolk Southern for $7.35 million, half of which went to each agency.

DEP's portion has been handed over to the Sinnemahoning Stakeholders Committee, which will decide how that money is going to be spent. That group consists of nine members, one each from DEP, F&BC, DCNR, Cameron County Conservation District, Cameron County Commissioners, McKean County Conservation District, McKean County Commissioners, and two public seats.

The money is being invested in an interest-bearing account. That interest will be used for environmental improvement projects within the Sinnemahoning watershed, from the Green Bridge in Sinnemahoning up to the headwaters.

This includes Driftwood, Portage, West Creek, Bennett Branch and all of its tributaries, but does not include the First Fork because that was the extent of the fish kill. Money will be spent in Driftwood and Portage first.

Meanwhile, the F&BC portion of the fine will be put into an interest- bearing account, where the money will be spent on many of the same environmental improvement projects. The F&BC, however, will be spending the principal of the balance and the area of funding is Cameron, McKean, Elk, and Potter counties. Cameron and McKean counties and projects within Portage and Driftwood will receive top priority.

Projects that will be considered include, but are not limited to, acid mine drainage abatement, habitat protection, enhancement and restoration, riparian buffer installation, stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP), agricultural BMPs, watershed conservation group organization, pollution prevention, acquisition of properties for public fishing and access, improvements to existing access areas and aquatic inventories.

Water flows downhill, so anything completed in these other areas will only benefit Driftwood and Portage.

We are blessed with clean water here and the spill has been cleaned up so there are no lasting effects of the sodium hydroxide. Aquatic life in Portage and Driftwood is coming back strong and fish are moving back in. Just a month ago, I saw a five-inch wild brown about five miles below the spill site.

We have the rare opportunity to make an already pristine watershed absolutely phenomenal. Give the streams some time and they will be back to what they once were.

If anybody has any questions please feel free to contact me at 814-486-9354.