Decades ago, the Blue Coal Corporation used Bliss Bank to store mine waste. After the area was abandoned, it sat idle for years, a toxic eyesore of piled mine waste and pools of stagnant water. The neglected site was a hotbed for illegal activity, including trash dumping and ATV trespassing. Runoff from the site also […]
Nature-Based Stormwater Solutions at IHM Center
After attending a presentation about stormwater runoff, nuns of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) congregation in Scranton became concerned about pollution harming the nearby Lackawanna River. They wanted to do something to reduce stormwater runoff from the impermeable surfaces on the IHM property, which includes a church and community center. An opportunity arose […]
Making Local Watershed Protection Possible
The Environmental Stewardship Fund provides funding for watershed specialists in every county in Pennsylvania. The two-year grants enable conservation districts to plan watershed restoration and stream improvement projects with the knowledge that funding for these key positions is secure. “Local efforts are absolutely essential to the Growing Greener partnership,” said Ed Rendell, former governor of […]
Little Laurel Creek Restoration
Little Laurel Run flows into Clearfield Creek about two miles north of Ashville. Because of acid mine drainage from the long-abandoned Klondike Mine, the creek was devoid of life. But thanks to the work of the Clearfield Creek Watershed Association, funding from the Environmental Stewardship Fund, and dedicated volunteers, there are now two low-cost, low-maintenance […]
Catawissa Creek Restored After 70 Years
Acid mine drainage (AMD) has left Catawissa Creek and its largest tributary, Tomhickon Creek, essentially devoid of fish and other aquatic life. The discharge comes from the Audenreid Mine Tunnel, which is the largest abandoned mine drainage discharge in the watershed. Its location at the headwaters of Catawissa Creek has been impacting the entire watershed […]
