Our Moshannon Valley is moving into its next earth-changing phase, much like the Industrial Revolution and the all-out extraction of coal. We are standing on the leading edge of the next great extraction process, natural gas.
We, the active members of the Moshannon Creek Watershed Coalition, have been working to reverse the damage done by coal mining. Sadly, there have been only a few Moshannon Valley residents involved in our efforts thus far. A few people have noticed that our annual Watershed Festival did not happen this year; it would have been our fifth one.
After all our planning, work, fundraising and educational programs, we have yet to see an increase in participation in our effort. Most people think these red streams cannot be cleaned up and brought back to fish habitat; other parts of Pennsylvania have proved it can be done by cleaning up their streams.
We stand here now with the Marcellus Shale gas boom just starting in our Moshannon Valley. It will be us that the next generation looks back upon and asks, “Why didn’t these people care about our watershed?” I have seen in the news that a group of people in the Philipsburg area have started banding together to keep a watchful eye on the gas drilling industry. It is great to see local residents becoming aware of the massive onset of drilling approaching our valley.
One of our watershed group’s founding members has taken a job at Mansfield State University as a professor, teaching classes on water resources. In the few years since moving from Philipsburg to Mansfield, she has told me about the transformation of the Pennsylvania northern tier from a peaceful mountain region to an unrecognizable zone.
My message to my fellow neighbors is to hang on to your hats, because this part of the state is next and we have to get ready.
If you don’t think we can do anything about what happened with the coal extraction, but care about the present-day gas boom, come to our meetings, use the advice of our consultants and engineers, and work under our 501(c)(3) nonprofit status with our existing liability insurance.
Quite honestly, our group is struggling. On this side of the Allegheny front, not many people care. Go to Happy Valley and there is a complete 180-degree change of attitude.
I, for one, will be able to say I worked for our streams.
See you at our meetings at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Rush Township Building. Our next meeting is Tuesday.
Art Beveridge, of Osceola Mills, is president of the Moshannon Creek Watershed Coalition.
