2-16-06

Roaring Creek Valley Conservation Association meeting

Opening Remarks- Cathy Haffner

• Welcome to everyone
• Special thanks to Columbia County Commissioners

Commissioner Bill Soberick

• Thanks to Dick Fetterman & Mary Wagner
• Thanks to all present for their concern for the future
• Cited examples of other local watershed groups and their success

Cathy- expressed gratitude to Kristen for all of her hard work

Kristen V. - teacher at Southern Columbia High School

• Powerpoint presentation on Roaring Creek Watershed- topography, land use, and history
• Showed how shed used assignments, projects, and field trips to engage her students and spark and interest in Roaring Creek watershed.

Joan Sattler, Watershed Manager, PA DEP  “A look at the Watershed Initiative in PA”

• 300 yrs ago- Pioneers view nature as a foe
• 100 yrs ago- Logging takes its toll on PA. We are also coal suppliers to the nation during the Industrial Revolution= streams on fire
• 40 yrs ago- Nature is not limitless! Laws such as the Federal Clean Water Act hold dischargers accountable.
• 2006- Point Source pollution is “under control”- accounts for only 4% of PA’s stream impairment.  Our big problem is nonpoint pollution such as acid mine drainage, sediment, septic tanks, acid precipitation, abandoned oil tanks.
• 21^st Century Commission- to address nonpoint source pollution they call for community involvement and they encourage watershed associations. Joan’s 14 counties have formed 70 watershed associations.  PA DEP funds Watershed Specialist positions 80% and has provided over $72 million in grants. The financial & technical resources are available for watershed groups such as RCVCA.

Rich Kisner- President of Fishing Creek Watershed Association “Volunteer Projects”

• FCWA formed in 1999 in response to acid deposition on the headwaters of the East Branch of Fishing Creek
• Examples of projects include- diversion wells, East Branch monitoring, festivals, Kocher Park.
• Projects took the efforts of many volunteers and partners such as county conservation districts, PA DEP, US Fish & Wildlife Service, PA DCNR, PPL, local banks, local business, townships. . ..

Bill Feudale- Vice President of Columbia County Trout Unlimited

• Partners with FCWA and Fishing Creek Sportsmen’s Association
• Projects include trash sweeps of the creek and trash pick sites.
• Banquets to promote education for future generations.
• www.columibacountytu.org

Representative David Millard- Closing comments- we have his cooperation!

Business of the meeting

• Election of officers
• President- nomination of Bob Rush- no opposed- all in favor
• Vice President-Wayne Petro nominates Kristen V.- no opposed- all in favor
• Treasurer- nomination of Carl Miller- no opposed- all in favor
• Secretary- nomination of Barbara Prescott- she declines. Nomination of Tom Spock by Wayne Petro- no opposed- all in favor.

• Bylaws- A motion to accept the presented bylaws was made by Bob Rush and seconded by Kristen V.  There was no one opposed

Cathy- Closing remarks and thanks to all present.

Next meeting March 16th