RAYMOND PROFFITT FOUNDATION

NEWS RELEASE
 

DECEMBER 1, 1998

VALLEY CREEK COALITION SUES DEP AND PENNDOT OVER THREAT TO VALLEY CREEK FROM ROUTE 202 STORM WATER DISCHARGES

On November 25, 1998 the Valley Creek Coalition filed an appeal to the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board from issuance of a storm water permit to PennDot by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The permit allows PennDot to discharge untreated storm water into Valley Creek, a watershed rated as Exceptional Value by Pennsylvania regulations.

The Raymond Proffitt Foundation is a member of the Valley Creek Coalition (VCC), which has a combined membership of over 2,000 members who are dedicated to protecting the Valley Creek Watershed. The coalition also includes the following organizations: Green Valleys Association, Open Land Conservancy of Chester County, Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Fund, Schuylkill River Keeper, Valley Forge Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and West Chester Fish, Game & Wildlife Association. Valley Forge National Historical Park is part of the coalition, but did not join in the appeal.

VCC's opposition is based upon Valley Creek's status as an Exceptional Value (EV) watershed. EV streams are under the Special Protection regulations, represent our best streams, and are approximately 1 percent of Pennsylvania's waterways. VCC's position is that EV streams must be treated differently than regular streams. They must be given the special protection they deserve.

PennDot is planning to add two lanes to Route 202 in Chester County. These new lanes will increase the hard surface area of the roadway. To accommodate the additional storm water run-off, PennDot plans to build several storm water sedimentation basins that would capture road run-off. The sedimentation basins would allow the sedimentation to settle to the bottom and allow the water to flow out the top. This excess water would be discharged to tributaries of Valley Creek, which also are EV.

VCC is concerned about this plan for several reasons. First, this plan is no different from the way PennDot, or other developers, would handle storm water for any stream. Valley Creek and its tributaries are all EV and should be treated differently.

Next, there is concern that sedimentation basins will allow concentrated sediment to flow out, especially during storm events. Besides sediment, these basins will be holding untreated oils, grease, and pollutants from the highway. There are no provisions to treat this contaminated soup before it flows into Valley Creek.

Another concern is that the storm water will be heated to air temperature, and during the summer this can be quite hot. Releasing this hot water into the cooler waters of Valley Creek constitutes thermal pollution, thereby harming the trout who need cooler water, especially in the summertime.

Yet another concern is the sudden release of this volume of water. Too much water released at one time can erode the banks of the tributaries and of Valley Creek. You can see the existing erosion of the banks of Valley Creek just before it enters the Schuylkill River.

Finally, the water that will be captured from the entire roadway and released will flow out to the Schuylkill River, and not to Chester County. If the highway were not in place then the rainwater would be absorbed into the groundwater system and recharge the streams and water supplies of the County. Discharging this water from sedimentation basins deprives Chester County residents of this valuable resource.

VCC is opposed to the way PennDot is treating Valley Creek. This watershed is more than in the top 1 percent of Pennsylvania's streams. The vast majority of EV streams are in wilderness areas where they are seldom visited, let alone threatened. Valley Creek is a unique EV stream because of its location, so near a heavily populated area. This EV stream is used by many people, and on a regular basis.

If we are not going to protect this stream, then what streams are we going to protect?

For more information, please contact John Wilmer at (610) 565-2736 or jwilmer@ix.netcom.com.

<<<<END>>>>