04/15/24 - 66 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/msuwtctm
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Feature- Hammer Creek: Pennsylvania's Next Water Quality Battleground
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On February 16, the Environmental Quality Board voted to move forward with a proposal to downgrade the water quality protection for Hammer Creek in Lancaster County. By proposing to strip the creek of its "high quality" status, the Board and the Department of Environmental Protection is opening the door for all kinds of future pollution. Hammer Creek—cool, clear, and full of trout—may become the next battleground in the fight to restore and preserve water quality in Pennsylvania. A report from the Department of Environmental Protection proposes to downgrade a portion of its designation as a "high-quality" stream, and remove the special legal protections designed to protect the streams health.
The "high-quality" stream designation strictly limits the activities that could degrade water quality, like allowing discharges from sewage treatment plants, runoff from development, and other potential pollution sources.
"High-quality streams are ecological treasures that have special legal protections," said CBF Pennsylvania Senior Scientist Harry Campbell.
Back in 2007, DEP proposed downgrading a large section of the creek, which would then open the door to construction of a sewage treatment plant, as well as potentially allowing high-density development in a fast-growing portion of Lebanon and Lancaster Counties.
CBF opposed the downgrade because DEP said the creek could never achieve high-quality status. But in the fall of 2007 an independent analysis to determine the health of the creek, commissioned by CBF, found that not only were stream conditions improving, but that a section in the heart of the downgrade area exceeded state criteria for an "exceptional value" stream, placing it among the most pristine in the Commonwealth.
Because of CBF's study, DEP then went back to the drawing board and revised their proposal to create a donut hole of sorts—high-quality status in the forested headwaters and downstream section, but removal of protection in the middle. This middle section of Hammer Creek runs through farmlands, and while the water quality in that area has suffered, the creek quickly rebounds to high quality, even exceptional value, just downstream of the farms.
"If the legal protections are removed, we believe maintaining water quality downstream will be difficult, if not impossible," Campbell said. "This creek has demonstrated an ability to heal itself very quickly, and instead of working with the farm community to reduce their impact, DEP proposes to basically throw in the towel."
On February 16, the Commonwealth's Environmental Quality Board voted to move forward with a proposed rulemaking to downgrade the creek. Public comments on this proposal will be accepted, but the public comment period has not yet been announced. CBF will continue to advocate for Hammer Creek as we believe both the science and the law justify it retaining "high-quality" status.
Click here for a copy of the DEP report on Hammer Creek. The regulatory package that includes the Hammer Creek change is known as the Clarks Creek, et al package and a copy is available online under the EQB's February 16 meeting handouts.
If you are concerned about the future of Hammer Creek and want to be informed about future actions you can take, visit the CBF Hammer Creek webpage and sign up for email updates.
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3/1/2010 |
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