Centre County groups call for public role in shaping the future of Rockview’s land
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- Coalition urges Shapiro administration to open public process on Rockview land use
- Groups seek trails, farmland protection and conservation across 5,700-acre site
- Transfer of prison and decisions on its future expected by summer at the earliest
A coalition of Centre County agricultural, conservation and community groups called on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration for transparency as the future of Rockview state prison’s vast property is decided, calling it a once-in-a-generation opportunity to balance sustainable land use, public access and conservation after the prison’s closure.
The coalition — made up of a dozen farm groups, conservation organizations and local nonprofits — said in a March letter that public input is one way to recognize the property’s “extraordinary ecological, agricultural, and cultural significance.”
“The Rockview property holds critical environmental and agricultural value, and it is important that the community has a meaningful role in shaping its future,” ClearWater Conservancy Executive Director Elizabeth Crisfield said in a statement. “Our collective group of agricultural and conservation stakeholders is ready to be part of that decision-making process. We know many others across the region, not just within the conservation community, are equally enthusiastic about contributing their perspectives and vision.”
The roughly 5,700-acre site stretches between the growing Bellefonte and State College areas, much of it farmland or the forested slopes of Mount Nittany. Rockview was by far the largest property in the state prison system; the remaining facilities have an average of about 325 acres outside their perimeters.
Shapiro’s administration has not divulged any plans for the property, though the state Department of Corrections has said some of the land will remain in the agency’s control for next-door Benner Township state prison.
One of the coalition’s top priorities is expanding outdoor recreation and tourism by creating a trail system to connect Mount Nittany with Spring Creek Canyon. They also advocated for maintaining the farmland and protecting the surrounding environment, including a well-regarded trout fishery.
The decisions made in the coming months, the organizations said, will “shape the region for decades.”
“Protecting Mount Nittany in its natural state has been a generational project for Penn State alumni and residents of Central PA,” Mount Nittany Conservancy Vice President Chris Buchignani said in a statement. “Preservation of the Mountain must remain a priority for aesthetic, ecological, cultural, and recreational purposes, and the Mount Nittany Conservancy vigorously supports an ambitious, creative vision to extend this spirit of conservation to the surrounding landscape.”
The transfer of Rockview to the state Department of General Services, which would be responsible for any sale of the property, is not expected until the summer at the earliest.
During a late February state budget hearing, DOC Secretary Laurel R. Harry said it will take at least a few months for her agency to clear out Rockview and reallocate its items to the remaining state prisons. It’s expected to cost $1.58 million annually to mothball the prison.
Penn State previously told the Centre Daily Times it’s interested in how the land might be used and expressed a desire to be involved in conversations about its potential use.
“Given its proximity to the University Park campus, we are interested in how the property will be used in the future,” a Penn State spokesperson said in an October email. “We hope to be part of the conversations exploring how the property can best be used to serve the Centre Region.”
The following organizations signed onto the letter that was sent to Shapiro:
- Centre County Farm Bureau
- Centre County Farmland Trust
- Centre County Historical Society
- Centre County Pennsylvania Senior Environmental Corps
- ClearWater Conservancy
- Keystone Water Resources Center
- Lemont Village Association
- Mount Nittany Conservancy
- Sierra Club Moshannon Group
- Spring Creek Trout Unlimited
- TCO Fly Shop
- Wildlife For Everyone
