In the NEWS: Monday, 17 July 2006 DCWA Meeting

In the NEWS……..Monday, 17 July 2006 DCWA Meeting

Dunloup Creek Watershed Association held their 5th meeting of 2006 with 101 community residents in attendance.

Chairman Ernie Wickline opened the meeting with a roll call of the watershed officers and board members.

Betty Lilly gave an update of her efforts to locate the responsible agency with jurisdiction over the ponds in Price Hill / Kilsyth. Dunloup Creek Watershed received a letter dated 5 June 2006 from the WV Dept of Environmental Protection Agency (WVDEP) in Charleston stating the ponds are designated WV PA Site# 5648 and were added to the National Abandoned Mine Lands inventory in 2002. The WVDEP intends to obtain Abandoned Mine Lands funds in the future for some level of reclamation. DCWA has drafted a letter back to the WVDEP signed by all association officers and board members voicing the concerns of all residents along Dunloup Creek requesting prompt action to reclaim this site.

Mayor Michael Martin gave a brief update on progress toward construction of the Kilsyth Sewer Extension project. The City of Mount Hope has sent in their certificate of Convenience & Necessity to the Public Service Commission in Charleston for approval which must be granted before the city can post a contract for bid to perform the work. The City’s certificate was dated 27 June 2006. Their will be an important meeting on 3 August 2006 with all the agency players involved in this project. Those being the City of Mount Hope; Army Corps of Engineers; Region 4 Planning & Development Council; Natural Resources Conservation Service; Fayette County Commission; and Dunloup Creek Watershed Association. Issues around this meeting are funding and project coordination around the sewer extension and the NRCS buyout program.

Ms Pam Yost gave the NRCS presentation by announcing the review of the Dunloup Creek Watershed Plan had been completed by the National Water Management Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. In fact, the three (3) member team from Arkansas toured the watershed on 14 June ’06 and NRCS Morgantown is now in receipt of their report. One major change was the requirement to provide a Environmental Impact Statement vice a Environmental Assessment. NRCS is close to having the DRAFT Watershed Plan for distribution at a public hearing to be announced soon. Its anticipated that September ’06 will be the expected date for such a public hearing. Announcement of such will appear in local newspapers; radio & TV; and the Dunloup Creek Watershed “NEWSLETTER” and website.

Their will be an organization meeting of Dunloup Creek Watershed on Monday, 21 August 2006 at the National Park Service conference room in Glen Jean. All officers and board members are expected to attend this planning and strategy session.