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Residents attend workshop on Sayers Dam water levels

SPENCER McCOY/THE EXPRESS Attendees who chose to speak included Commissioner Mark Higgins, above, area resident Mary Ann Clark, right, and Clyde Miles of Howard, bottom right. Listeners were encouraged to raise their hand when they agreed with a speaker’s point of view. Speakers included Ben Pratt of SRBC, above, and Angie Sowers with Army Corps of Engineers, below.

HOWARD — Many residents and local representatives brought their concerns about a proposed draining of Foster Joseph Sayers Dam to Bald Eagle Area Middle School and High School Wednesday night.

The plan, brought forth by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is to conduct a feasibility study to see if adjusting seasonal water levels in the dam will improve the downstream environment.

On Wednesday at 7 p.m., a public workshop was held at the high school to allow individuals to ask questions about the study. The workshop was previously scheduled to be held at Howard Elementary School but was moved due to a high level of interest. An estimated crowd of around 200 showed up at the workshop. Several local and state representatives, along with residents from both Centre and Clinton counties, came to express their concerns and learn more about the proposed study.

The workshop began with an informational presentation and was followed by an open comment period.

According to Amy Guise of the Army Corps of Engineers, the purpose of the study is to consider alternatives for operational changes to improve the environment without impacting flood control, recreation or water quality of the reservoir.

Angie Sowers of the Army Corps of Engineers cleared up some concerns and talked about what the study will not do. A primary concern has been that the study would recommend changes that will significantly impact summer pool levels at Bald Eagle State Park, and Sowers said it will not do so. She further explained that it will not increase dust, odor or insect problems or provide extra water for natural gas development.

Sowers explained that the study will evaluate more stable lake levels and low flow releases that occur during droughts. The study will also compare the benefits versus the impacts of a variety of other alternatives.

Ben Pratt of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission went over the study alternatives, which include no action, a revised fall release, a more stable lake level, an increased lake level, a revised minimum release, fisheries-based release, and water quality-based releases.

“This is all conceptual in terms of what we are looking at,” Pratt said. “No decisions have been made yet.”

The next steps will be to follow up the workshop through the project’s website and through additional public comments, then finalize alternative plans, conduct model simulations, analyze the alternatives and their impacts, and then release a draft report for the public’s review. Another public workshop will then follow in spring 2018.

Many members of the public brought their concerns to the open comment period, concerns regarding the study’s possible economic and environmental impacts, ranging from the operations of the Howard Volunteer Fire Co. to possible flooding impacts to nearby areas. Many hands went up to agree with each community member’s concerns.

Several concerns were addressed by staff from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission after the comment period.

One concerned resident who spoke out was George Demchak, a 23-year resident of Howard, local realtor, Howard Fire Company volunteer, and founder of the annual Howard Fire Company’s annual Punkin’ Chunkin’ festival at the park.

Demchak said that one primary concern of his is that draining the reservoir will result in fewer visitors to the park, which currently receives about 500,000 visitors each year, and in turn, real estate values will drop by 20 percent. Someone with a $100,000 home could instantly lose $20,000, he said.

Another concern Demchak raised was that of further financial distress to the Howard Fire Co. The annual Punkin’ Chunkin’ event brings in 30 percent of the fire company’s budget, and the fire company already took a hit last year when the flooding in the park caused the event to be canceled, he said.

Public comments about the study will be accepted through Sept. 15 and answers to the questions will be posted in the following month on the website: www.nab.usace.army.mil/FJSayers_Feasibility_study/

See Saturday’s paper for the full story, with more information on the study and more concerns and comments from the public.

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