Over the last few weeks, we’ve touched a little on the importance of environmental advocacy even with new green energy. Now let’s look at a real-life, local example of past environmental contamination and a new organization that seeks to care for and restore the watershed of the Lower Clarion River.
Rob Bodenhorn, President, Watershed Association of the Lower Clarion:
Many can probably relate to the way I spent a good part of my childhood, playing in and around a stream that was contaminated with acid mine drainage. My creek was Paint Creek in Hefner. Most every day I would come home with my clothes and much of my body matching the brilliant orange of Paint Creek. Mom wasn’t happy. But, try to stop a young boy from playing in a stream.
Forty-five years later I purchased a property and built a home in Licking township of Clarion County. I was elected township supervisor in November of 2023 and have taken great interest in the watershed for the lower Clarion River (from Piney Dam to the Allegheny River).
Many of our fathers and grandfathers made a living and provided for their families by working in the coal mining industry. Also, many sold the coal from their land and great wealth came from this industry for several decades. Unfortunately, environmentally safe mining practices did not come about until the late 1970’s and 1980’s. By this point, much of the damage was already done. God Bless our fathers and grandfathers for trying to make a better life for their families. I truly believe that many of our forefathers would have done things differently had they known the consequences of the mining practices they were part of. I have always been an outdoor enthusiast, as I am sure our ancestors were and we are lucky to have the woods, streams, and landscape we do in western PA.
Since those days as a child on Paint Creek, I have acquired an associate degree in Wildlife Technology from Penn State. I have worked and contracted for the Allegheny National Forest as well as other forest management companies. From my childhood experience and my work experience in western PA and western NY grew a desire to see our streams, which are now lifeless and some marginally fishable, the way they were before the mining era took its toll on them. And, is it possible to reverse the damage?
In May of 2024 the Watershed Association for the Lower Clarion (WALC) was created. We had our first meeting in June which had 30+ people attend. July, August, and September meetings followed, and we have managed to come up with a board and a plan for moving forward. I was honored to be chosen as president and lucky to have the vast knowledge in local government of Karen (Boo) Best as our treasurer and the excitement and tech help from our secretary Ashley Janecek, who has created a Facebook page: Watershed Association of the Lower Clarion. We hope to have someone come forward in the near future to act as vice president.
Our mission is to “Care for and restore the watershed of the Lower Clarion River”. In cooperation with Clarion Conservation District and the DEP, we have projects in the planning stages for treatment of acid mine drainage sites along route 58 between Sligo and Callensburg. There is State and Federal money available for these projects so we need landowners to cooperate and participate. It is a win/win for landowners. Unsightly areas of properties can be cleaned up increasing the value of their property. And, landowners can be proud they are doing their part for the environment and future generations.
We have meetings every third Tuesday of the month at 6 pm at 152 Canoe Ripple Rd., Sligo (the Licking Township Building). We need to have more people join us as the workload is sure to increase as we grow. We also need someone with knowledge in forming an organization. For more information you can contact me, Rob Bodenhorn, at (814)227-9216 or email me at rob@burfordandhenry.com.
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Rachel Brosnahan is the Community Engagement Coordinator for River Roots Redevelopment. She can be reached by email at rachel@riverrootsredevelopment.org.
