Envi Group Forces Rich Community to Stop Dumping Raw Sewage into Valley Forge National Park

[JPZenger]

http://www.pennenvironment.org/news/pae/environmental-groups-threat-lawsuit-brings-action-protect-valley-forge-valley-creek

Tredyffrin Township is one of the richest townships in Pennsylvania, along the Main Line and the Route 202 office corridor west of King of Prussia. However, somehow the community could never find the money or the time to fix their sewage pipeline, which repeatedly dumped tens of millions of gallons of raw sewage into Valley Forge National Park. The State under Corbett wasn't much help.

However, action is now finally occurring because of legal action by two groups: Penn Environment and Trout Unlimited.

"After two years of increasingly severe sewage pipeline breaks, no emergency response plan other than ‘dump the sewage in the creek,’ and no plan to replace this aging pipeline, Trout Unlimited feels that we have once again fulfilled our role as environmental stewards by helping to drive this outcome,” said Pete Goodman, a former president of VF Trout Unlimited and local fisherman who has fished in Valley Creek for over 40 years.

The first leak from the sewer line occurred in early 2012, followed by two massive ruptures in 2014. During the pipeline ruptures in February and March 2014, Tredyffrin Township discharged approximately 21 million gallons of untreated sewage directly into Valley Creek, a tributary of the Schuylkill River that flows through the national park. Valley Creek has been designated as an “Exceptional Value” stream—the state’s highest water quality classification—by DEP, and as a “Class A wild trout stream” by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission."
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http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2014/12/05/main_line_suburban_life/news/doc5481c9c31f446461235624.txt?viewmode=fullstory

“One of the most effective aspects of the federal Clean Water Act is that it empowers local residents and citizen groups to take action when the local polluter and environmental regulators won’t,” stated Masur. “This case is a perfect example of how concerned citizens have the ability to achieve speedy and effective resolution of serious environmental problems.”

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In the old days, the Pa. Fish and Boat Commission would have been the ones to win this challenge. They once went to court to force the PA. Turnpike Commission to clean up a failing sewage system.

[Curmudgeoness]

1. I don't even have words to express my outrage.

When I think of my town, where we were fined daily for years until we could afford to upgrade our sewer plant when we are on the verge of bankruptcy, having to spend money to fix our problems, it is appalling that this can happen anywhere in this state.

I am disgusted.

[JPZenger]

2. Yes

Yes, Curmed, many small towns that couldn't afford improvements have suffered high costs and large fines for their sewage system from the State and Feds in the past. I'm amazed the Feds didn't act on this sooner, since it was affecting their National Park.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. I am not amazed, only saddened.

This appears to be just another case, in a long list of cases, of the wealthy being above the law.