Bill would help fund dam reconstruction
HARRISBURG — State Rep. Jaret Gibbons on Tuesday introduced a bill that would help fund the reconstruction of high hazard dams by diverting revenues earned by gas drilling operations on state-owned lands.
Such legislation could help fund the reconstruction of the Hereford Manor Lakes dams outside of Zelienople and the Glade Run Lake dam in Middlesex Township.
Both lakes closed and were drained after the state Fish and Boat Commission found them unsafe because of structurally deficient dams.
They joined a list of 18 dams statewide considered “high hazard” by the state.
According to the commission’s website, it originally was estimated that it would take $86 million to fix all the dams.
Gibbons’ legislation calls for five percent all of state revenues gained from gas drilling to be diverted to these dam reconstruction projects. The maximum annual transfer would be $6 million.
The estimated cost to repair the Hereford dams is about $24 million while the cost to repair the Glade Run Lake dam is about $4.2 million.
In a press release, Gibbons, D-10th, stressed the importance of reopening the Hereford Lakes, saying that more than 120,000 licensed fishermen live within 30 miles of it.
“The Hereford Manor Lakes are important to our region’s economy and quality of life,” he said. “The Fish and Boat Commission has expressed interest in rebuilding the Hereford Manor Lakes, but it lacks the funding. This legislation would help address the funding needs at no additional cost to taxpayers,”
The news of Gibbons’ bill elated John Ball, president of the Hereford Manor Lakes Conservancy Group. But he tempered his expectations because the Hereford property is just one of many around the state that desperately need cash.
“I think it’s a great idea, but to my knowledge the state has about $60 million worth of problems,” Ball said. “So it would take at least 10 years to address all of them. But it’s certainly better than nothing.”
However, Ball added that his group is lobbying the state to only rebuild one of Hereford Manor lake’s two dams, saying that one would be sufficient to handle the water flow.
The cost for the project would then fall to about $12 million according to Ball’s estimation.
“Looking at it from our perspective, we think it’s a great thing,” he said. “But it will definitely take some time.”
Siggy Pehel, president of the Glade Run Lake Conservancy, said his group is dedicated to a grassroots campaign of raising money through individual donations and small businesses.
But that’s not to say the conservancy group wouldn’t take state money.
“I would say that we would welcome any kind of funding, wherever it is,” Pehel said. “I would also say cautiously that there are a lot of people who’re skeptical of Marcellus Shale drilling for various reasons. But if the bill does go through and we get money, we certainly won’t turn it down.”
