Testimony heard in effort to resolve Cokeburg Dam issues
In an effort to resolve issues surrounding an aging dam in Cokeburg, a state House Republican Committee hearing was convened Wednesday at Cokeburg Volunteer Fire Department.
For more than four decades, Cokeburg Borough and the state Department of Environmental Protection have gone back and forth about the dam, accessible from Route 917. The dam is in danger of being drained, as DEP has deemed it a hazard, while Cokeburg wants to preserve the landmark that is more than 100 years old.
Legislators in attendance were Bud Cook, whose 50th Legislative district includes Cokeburg; Tim O’Neal, Jim Rigby, David Rowe and Joshua Kail, House Republican Policy Committee Chairman.
“This meeting is about inviting members of the administration that oversee DEP and work with DEP to work with our team to save, resurrect and put this community asset back into action here in the Cokeburg area and beyond,” Cook said.
Testifying were Holly Detts-Dranzo, Cokeburg council president, and Dave Lambert, borough fire chief.
Detts-Dranzo provided details of what she said has been transpiring for 43 years concerning the dam the borough acquired in 1953.
The initial inspection took place in 1981, when DEP designated it a high-hazard, small-size dam and eventually classified it as an unsafe nonemergency dam. Measures to be taken to ensure safe operation of the dam were given. The borough sent its report detailing what would be done to fix it.
Detts-Dranzo said throughout the years the borough has taken steps to address DEP concerns, but said the DEP raised other concerns, such as how repairs to the spillway could reduce the water intake and stability of the dam’s embankment.
A 2012 plan submitted by the borough engineer appeared to meet DEP approval, but in 2016 the borough was informed the dam would become high hazard again because a potential failure in a submitted design could result in flooding on Route 917.
“It’s been very frustrating,” she said. “We had a plan that was acceptable by the DEP. We were ready to go to bid. They pulled the rug out. We had to go back to square one and redo the design. Each time the dam has been changed from high hazard to low hazard back to high hazard, that’s more engineering and designs to meet DEP’s expectations, and it seems no matter what we do, we do not meet the expectations.”
A drawdown of water was completed in December, as required by the DEP, and is being maintained. In January, the annual inspection report was submitted by borough engineers and an update on the latest submission was requested last week via email. DEP responded it did not receive the entire dam application package, nor the emergency plan.
“These latest emails illustrate the numerous back and forth delays that we have experienced since 1981,” Detts-Dranzo said.
She added that the delays have been costly. Most of a Department of Community and Economic Development grant received in 2013 had to be returned. The deadline for a $200,000 Local Share Account grant has been extended numerous times. She said it has cost the borough at least $100,000.
“The DEP will not give us a go-ahead,” Detts-Dranzo said.
The dam holds many memories for Cokeburg residents for its recreational opportunities. From 1958 until 1992, the dam was stocked with fish for recreation.
Lambert said the dam is a valuable resource for the firefighters.
“The dam has been used numerous times over the years as an emergency fill source or a secondary water source in any type of emergency in the borough,” Lambert said. “It’s also used numerous times throughout the year by mutual aid services and ourselves as a training aspect where we can conduct training flowing volumes of water back into the dam. It doesn’t create a financial burden on the department or the municipality or the water department.”
Lawmakers in attendance offered support for restoring the dam.
“I’m at a loss for words to express my dismay that there is not some sort of resolution moving forward,” O’Neal said. “What you do with your community asset should be up to you, and DEP should stay out of the way.”
Cook said a concentrated effort needs to be made to remedy an issue that he says has gone on far too long.
“This is about building a team,” he said. “This is our invitation from our community, the great people of Cokeburg and the commonwealth of Pennsylvania to get this done whatever it takes.”