Allegheny River Headwaters Watershed Conservation Plan

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Allegheny River Headwaters Conservation Plan Chapter 6.Issues and Concerns developed from the information gathered through the initial meetings, school visits, surveys, and individual interviews. Water Resources The importance of the water resources in this area cannot be stressed enough. The area contributes to the beginning of three major rivers in Pennsylvania: the Genesee, Allegheny, and Susquehanna rivers. It also offers recreational activities, such as fishing and boating, that are of major importance to the surrounding community members. Overall, the local community suggests that water quality is the most important issue in relation to the project. Brine Usage One concern of citizens in the region is the usage of brine as a means of dust control on local dirt and gravel roads. Brine is water that is saturated with sodium chloride and is commonly used for this purpose. The local community residents would like to see that the use of brine be stopped in an effort to help preserve the natural water resources in the area. Stormwater Management The community residents suggested that they have a concern over the management of stormwater and its possible effects on the local water resources in the watershed area. They felt that something must be done to improve the management of stormwater to preserve the overall water quality in the area. Downtown Bradford during a storm event Stone Quarries Another area of concern of the local communities is the large amount of stone quarries throughout the watershed. The stone quarries are a source of erosion and can lead to reduced water quality. Sedimentation to Local Streams Another concern of the local community is the issue of sedimentation to local streams. They want to see more projects start in an effort to reduce the amount of sedimentation and preserve the quality of the local water resources. Infrastructure There are many issues relating to the infrastructure of the watershed area. One of the first issues is the lack of roads in and out of the region, making it difficult for both the local population and tourists to travel. Some local residents suggest that the area needs an interconnected trail network that connects existing trails and leads to local businesses. This suggestion included the utilization of township roads, old railroad corridors, and state game lands in order to create this network. Overall, the ability to travel in and out of the region, as well as throughout the region, is an area of major concern to the local population. Cell phone connectivity and high speed internet connection are both poor in the area, which is another concern. The surrounding community members feel that the lack of these two amenities deters tourists from visiting and inhibits business success. They also feel that there is a definite lack of shopping opportunities, as well as gas stations, to serve both tourists and the local citizens. In the hopes of increasing tourism to the watershed area, some suggest the construction of more public restrooms, visitors’ centers, and better community maintenance of houses, buildings, and trash collection. 6-2
Allegheny River Headwaters Conservation Plan Chapter 6. Issues and Concerns Another main point that was brought up in one of the initial local meetings is the unfinished 600+ acre golf course in Potter County. The local community wants the golf course to be put to better use, with some suggesting that it be restored to a more environment-friendly state. Garbage and recycling methods and systems used in the area need significant improvement as well. The local residents feel that this would be a good first step in an effort to minimize litter in the area. As of April 2009, recycling within the project area had ceased. Employment Employment opportunities are lacking in the region. Many local residents feel that the area needs more diversified opportunities for employment. They are also burdened with high unemployment and healthcare difficulties. Some suggestions include better job training and volunteering. The overall perception by the local residents is that more volunteering can lead to effective projects that will help the watershed area, such as trash clean up, recycling, and removing invasive species.. The major employment industries in this region are hospitals, farms, forestry, oil/gas maintenance, manufacturing, education, and technology. During the visits to local high schools, one of the questions posed was whether the students would return at an older age to seek employment in the area. Those that said no suggest that there are better opportunities elsewhere, the job market is better in other areas, the local communities are too small, and that there is a lack of businesses to create more jobs for the region. It is important that the youth of the area maintain a positive outlook for the region’s future in both economical and environmental aspects. This issue of employment opportunities is important to the students of the three local high schools. Another major issue in the area is the return of the gas and oil drilling industry. It has helped to revitalize the area in terms of unemployment, but some local residents suggest that this type of industry can be detrimental to the health of the environment. Overall, they feel that it is a good thing in the sense that it is bringing in more jobs, but it must be properly regulated in order to preserve and protect the area. Another industry that has similar issues is logging. It provides local jobs, but at the same time, the local population feels that it must be properly regulated to preserve the area’s forests and natural habitats for wildlife and clean water. Legal and Political From a legal standpoint, the local communities feel that something must be done with the regulation of several activities, such as developing farmland, mineral extraction, timbering, ATV use, and land-use. Overall, there should be better regulation for developing farmland and the mineral extraction industries. In 2009 alone, there were 500 applications for gas and oil wells in Potter County, which illustrates the importance of proper regulation. The local citizens also want to see improved timbering management, as well as education of timber harvesters, to encourage the use of sustainable methods and techniques. Unrestricted ATV use is also an issue in the area that must be addressed. Suggestions included the establishment of designated trails, as well as the creation of an ATV recreation park. Lastly, there are some concerns and issues with land-use regulation in the area. Because land-use regulations change with ownership of public lands, there needs to be more consistency among different public land agencies to avoid any confusion. There is a concern that there is not enough political involvement in conservation practices in the watershed area. The perception from the neighboring population is that the local government needs significant improvements in its infrastructure. This way, the local government will have the ability to become more involved in conservation activities, specifically with raising money for said activities. The lack of funding is a concern of the local residents, and they feel that something needs to be done with the 6-3
Page 2 and 3:
Allegheny Regional Office 159 Main
Page 4 and 5:
Allegheny River Headwaters Conserva
Page 6 and 7:
Page 8 and 9:
Page 10 and 11:
Page 12 and 13:
Page 14 and 15:
Page 16 and 17:
Page 18 and 19:
Page 20 and 21:
Page 22 and 23:
Page 24 and 25:
Page 26 and 27:
Page 28 and 29:
Page 30 and 31:
Page 32 and 33:
Page 34 and 35:
Page 36 and 37:
Page 38 and 39:
Page 40 and 41:
Page 42 and 43:
Page 44 and 45:
Page 46 and 47:
Page 48 and 49:
Page 50 and 51:
Page 52 and 53:
Page 54 and 55:
Page 56 and 57:
Page 58 and 59:
Page 60 and 61:
Page 62 and 63:
Page 64 and 65:
Page 66 and 67:
Page 68 and 69:
Page 70 and 71:
Page 72 and 73:
Page 74 and 75:
Page 76 and 77:
Page 78 and 79:
Page 80 and 81:
Page 82 and 83:
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88 and 89:
Page 90 and 91:
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96 and 97:
Page 98 and 99:
Page 100 and 101: Allegheny River Headwaters Conserva
Page 200 and 201:
Page 202 and 203:
Page 204 and 205:
Page 206 and 207:
Page 208 and 209:
Page 210 and 211:
Page 212 and 213:
Page 214 and 215:
Page 216 and 217:
Page 218 and 219:
Page 220 and 221:
Page 222 and 223:
Page 224 and 225:
Page 226 and 227:
show all

Allegheny River Headwaters Watershed Conservation Plan

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?