afishinado
Moderator
Staff member
From VFTU most recent newsletter:
After months of promises by Tredyffrin Township, conversations with Penn Environment, the National Environmental Law Center and internal negotiations with Trout Unlimited the Valley Forge Chapter of Trout Unlimited was granted the permission to be a co-signer of a letter of intent to file suit in Federal Court in Philadelphia against Tredyffrin Township and the Tredyffrin Municipal Authority due to violations of the Clean Water Act relating to the sewer line breaks along Valley Creek.
This has been an arduous and agonizing process. We would like to believe that Tredyffrin was headed in the right direction with their consultant CH2MHill investigating the issues with this aged force main. However, there is no indication that an emergency plan that addresses our issues is even realistically being considered.
Fred Gender has expressed the VFTU sentiment succinctly, "...while the initial breaks are disturbing it is the "fix" that has had the greatest adverse impact on the stream. The township willingly contaminates 2 miles of creek through the National Park because of a lack of an emergency plan or an unwillingness to do something different is what I find unacceptable. They have no control over leaks at this point but they do have control over the magnitude of the contamination since they directly cause the greatest discharge." And further from VFTU President Robbi Freisem, "Yes, the issue is lack of even committing to find a different emergency plan than dumping sewage in the stream while a break is being repaired. The law makes it possible to apply pressure for making a plan."
We, VFTU, did not want to be in this position having to decide whether to sue a township that we are partnering with on several projects. But it is our mission, to preserve, protect and restore coldwater fisheries. We would not be true to ourselves and our members if we did not stand up for a clean Valley Creek. If we could have assured success another way, that way would have been taken.
After months of promises by Tredyffrin Township, conversations with Penn Environment, the National Environmental Law Center and internal negotiations with Trout Unlimited the Valley Forge Chapter of Trout Unlimited was granted the permission to be a co-signer of a letter of intent to file suit in Federal Court in Philadelphia against Tredyffrin Township and the Tredyffrin Municipal Authority due to violations of the Clean Water Act relating to the sewer line breaks along Valley Creek.
This has been an arduous and agonizing process. We would like to believe that Tredyffrin was headed in the right direction with their consultant CH2MHill investigating the issues with this aged force main. However, there is no indication that an emergency plan that addresses our issues is even realistically being considered.
Fred Gender has expressed the VFTU sentiment succinctly, "...while the initial breaks are disturbing it is the "fix" that has had the greatest adverse impact on the stream. The township willingly contaminates 2 miles of creek through the National Park because of a lack of an emergency plan or an unwillingness to do something different is what I find unacceptable. They have no control over leaks at this point but they do have control over the magnitude of the contamination since they directly cause the greatest discharge." And further from VFTU President Robbi Freisem, "Yes, the issue is lack of even committing to find a different emergency plan than dumping sewage in the stream while a break is being repaired. The law makes it possible to apply pressure for making a plan."
We, VFTU, did not want to be in this position having to decide whether to sue a township that we are partnering with on several projects. But it is our mission, to preserve, protect and restore coldwater fisheries. We would not be true to ourselves and our members if we did not stand up for a clean Valley Creek. If we could have assured success another way, that way would have been taken.
