Responses to new water study continue to filter in to Corps of Engineers
Letters, some detailed, some short and to the point, and reports filled with facts and figures continue to filter in to the Pittsburgh regional office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in connection to a recently released water study. According to Richard V. Dowling, corps public affairs officer, the federal agency has received 17 responses to the Youghiogheny water management and reallocation report since its distribution to the public in December.
In addition to several letters from individuals, Dowling said documentation was received from Fayette County Commissioners, Yough Fishermans Association, Trout Unlimited, Yough River Council and Connellsville Mayor Judy Reed. The county response was authored by Crouse and Company, a Pittsburgh firm hired by commissioners to work with a local coalition in assessing the corps’ study results and assist in developing long-term water needs plan.
The three-page document noted that the response was also being submitted on behalf of a local citizens’ group, several state and local officials, the county planning commission, North Fayette County Municipal Authority and Fay Penn Economic Development Council.
“At first glance, I’ve got to say that (the county response) is very positive,” said Dowling. “We are encouraged there are many areas of agreement.”
In the summary, the county notes that there is no opposition to the setting aside of storage space for future water allocations, but it does request that additional studies be conducted to determine the impact of revised water release schedules.
“We are encouraged by the decision to make the water supply storage allocation available to any user – not just the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County (MAWC) who co-sponsored the study,” states the documentation. “This is a very favorable development for Fayette County. It is reassuring to know that should the need arise, a portion of the proposed 10,000 acre-feet of water supply storage can be made available to Fayette County.”
Initially, MAWC had requested authorization to draw an additional 17 million gallons of water daily from the Youghiogheny and reserve storage space for the allocation in the reservoir.
Instead, the corps has determined that any water reallocation to MAWC is delayed until April 2007 and the requested permitting of reservoir storage space to the authority is available for any water supplier wanting to increase their water quantities.
Additionally, the study has determined that the corps can revise its water-release schedule without seriously impacting the waterway.
According to the figures, water output from the dam would be cut by nearly one-third from July 1 to mid-October.
Individual responses, said Dowling, queried whether sufficient amounts of water were available for reallocation, the long-term quality of the water should additional quantities be withdrawn and the fairness of the corps to change the status of water releases.
All comments are being reviewed by the Pittsburgh-based corps and will be incorporated into the final report.
Although MAWC is paying one-half of the $489,700 cost for the study, it is not assisting in the review process, added Dowling.
“The law requires us to adequately address all of the issues raised before we can proceed,” he said.
Although the deadline has expired for commenting on the draft study, Dowling said letters will continue to be reviewed with any significant concerns or issues raised by the letter writer be incorporated in the final report.
“The distinction will be whether or not the comment raises a new issue or simply restates a previous argument,” he said. “A letter that just says ‘don’t do it’ doesn’t add anything to the process.
“The corps studies are based on fact, not on letter writing campaigns or popularity contests. We welcome public participation, but we’re looking for valid questions and suggestions.”
The input, if significant, can lead to changes in what plans the corps ultimately implements, said Dowling.
“We’ve also promised the community that changes can be made to release schedule even after they have been adopted if we find that conditions have changed or that the river environment is somehow harmed by the changes,” he said.
The process has been more time consuming due to its complex nature and the number of entities involved in the study.
“There’s no such thing as a typical length for a study,” said Dowling. “Our policy is to take as long as necessary to do the job right once and for all.
“This particular reallocation study is more complex than many other projects of the corps because it includes a wide variety of government agencies and individual groups and organizations and at least two separate water supply authorities.”
When completed, the final report will be forwarded to the corps headquarters in Washington, D.C. for approval.