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Winter 2010

In This Issue
Federal Court Ruling
Watershed Spotlight
Welcome, Shawn!
AMD Education Programs
Special Alert

TU & Susquehanna Greenways seeking individuals to fill OSM VISTA positions - December 15th application deadline!

More Info

Upcoming Events
WBSRC Meeting & Holiday Party - Dec. 14
 
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Dear WBSRC Member,  


Welcome to the latest edition of the WBSRC newsletter! We hope that you are staying warm out there with the winter weather finally upon us. This issue contains some important information on a federal court decision with the potential to impact the future of AMD cleanup in Pennsylvania, as well as, some good news, a warm welcome, and more about our continued education & outreach efforts. Between newsletters, be sure to check out the WBSRC website(www.wbsrc.org) to keep up to date on news, grant opportunities, and more.  As always, contact us at
(570) 748-4901 or [email protected] with stories or ideas for upcoming editions of the newsletter.

Thank you for all that you do and Happy Holidays!

Federal Court Ruling Threatens PA Watershed-Based Abandoned Mine Cleanup 

 

On November 8, 2010 the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision by a lower court in WV Highlands Conservancy and WV Rivers Coalition v. Randy C. Huffman, Secretary, WV Department of Environmental Protection that ruled National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits are required, under the federal Clean Water Act, for remediation projects at abandoned coal mine sites. For full document click here. 

Read More...
 

Watershed Spotlight: The Babb Creek Watershed's Micro-Hydropower Turbine
 

The Babb Creek Watershed Association (BCWA) was formed in 1998 with the objective of restoring Babb Creek, a tributary of Pine Creek in the West Branch Susquehanna River watershed.  Since its inception, the BCWA has built or maintains 16 treatment systems within the watershed. 

 

Antrim discharge
Antrim discharge before treatment

The Antrim Treatment Facility treats the largest of the numerous AMD discharges in the Babb Creek watershed. The treatment facility does an exceptional job of treating AMD but the operation and maintenance cost are significant.  To help offset ongoing operational expenses, BCWA was awarded an Energy Harvest grant from the DEP to install a micro-hydropower turbine on the plant discharge that will generate electricity to operate the treatment facility, with excess power being sold back to the power grid.

Read More...

Welcome, Shawn!     
  Shawn Rummel
Trout Unlimited would like to introduce and extend a warm welcome to Shawn Rummel.  Shawn was hired as the new Field & Research Coordinator for its Eastern Abandoned Mine Program (EAMP). Read More... 
2010/2011 AMD Classroom Education Programs & Field Trips    
 

Over the course of this winter and coming spring, the WBSRC and TU, with funding from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the DEP, and the DANSKO foundation, will work with five local schools to teach students the history of coal mining, AMD and its effects on the environment and economy, and the basics of AMD remediation. As part of these AMD education programs, TU staff will travel to each school where they will meet with middle and high school students and go over several lessons designed to increase students' knowledge of the above topics. Students will then be instructed on how to perform chemical tests on water samples using Hach AMD test kits and how to collect and identify macroinvertebrates.

Read More...