Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority

Background and Environmental Issues

Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority (LHVA) is the management entity for the Lackawanna Valley National Heritage Area and the Lackawanna Heritage Valley State Heritage Area programs.  LHVA oversees a partnership of government, business, civic organizations, and individuals who are dedicated to the development of the region's historic, cultural, economic, and natural resources through preservation, education, and promotion of the region’s heritage. LHVA was established because the Lackawanna Valley played a pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution, and communities recognized a need to preserve the unique and distinctly American story of the region. In 1991 the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority was named the first State Heritage Park in Pennsylvania, and in 2000 it was designated as a National Heritage Area by the US Congress.

From 1840 to 1930, the Lackawanna Heritage Valley saw the rise and fall of anthracite as the major force driving America’s industrialization.  By 1917, the Northern field produced over 100 million tons annually, providing nearly all of the nation’s supply of anthracite.  A significant portion of the valley, including the Lackawanna River, had been environmentally degraded during the coal era.  People turned their backs on the enormous remnants of the mining industry and on the damaged environment.  Slag heaps and coal piles saw the gradual rebirth of vegetation, while the Lackawanna River slowly healed itself. 

As the valley is slowly recovering from years of abuse, the new danger to the environment is continued urbanization.  Water quality and quantity problems remain, including acid mine drainage, abandoned mine lands, combined sewer overflows, and flooding.  Although numerous projects have worked to control flooding, manage stormwater and erosion, clean up acid mine drainage (AMD) and abandoned mine land (AML) sites, there are still significant amounts of AMD and AML that continue to pollute the environment.  AML sites contain openings and high walls that are dangerous to people, and AMD turns the river orange and kills the aquatic life. The Old Forge Bore Hole is the source of over 100 million gallons of AMD per day. This polluted water flows from the Lackawanna River into the Susquehanna River, eventually reaching the Chesapeake Bay.

 

Goals and Accomplishments:

LHVA hosts a Northern and a Southern Lackawanna Valley OSM/VISTA. While both OSM/VISTAs work with LHVA, the Northern OSM/VISTA focuses on the needs of the upper valley and the Lackawanna County Conservation District (LCCD), and the Southern OSM/VISTA focuses on the needs of the lower valley and the Lackawanna River Corridor Association (LRCA), a nonprofit, nonpolitical organization that promotes the river through education, public involvement, consensus building, partnerships, and hands-on opportunities for young and old.

The OSM/VISTAs work to provide support and services to advance the development of the Lackawanna Greenway and Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, AMD remediation, and water quality monitoring of the Lackawanna River.  The OSM/VISTAs assist with grant writing and fundraising for these projects. In addition, they create press releases, newsletters, brochures, and fact sheets. They help to develop the Lackawanna Greenway and environmental programming information on LHVA’s website, and they facilitate LHVA’s Ambassadors in Action volunteer program. They are working with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission to sample AMD sites along the Lackawanna River.

The Northern Valley OSM/VISTA works to build capacity and develop a website for the NE Pennsylvania Conservation Alliance, an umbrella organization of eighty environmental groups. With the Conservation Alliance, she coordinated “The Great NEPA Clean-Up,” a series of clean-ups and educational events during Earth Week. She seeks funding for LCCD’s illegal dumpsite and educational programs.

The Southern Valley OSM/VISTA develops LHVA’s “We Conserve!” Recycling Program. With LRCA, he coordinates volunteers and assists with planning for the annual Riverfest event and the River Watch monitoring program. He also develops fundraising events, including the “Polar Bear Plunge” dunk tank social.

The OSM/VISTAs work with LHVA to promote the heritage and culture of the region. They are creating a Historic Resources Inventory and conducting a trail user survey that will assist LHVA in developing the Lackawanna Greenway and Lackawanna River Heritage Trail. They also meet with community groups and public officials to discuss the Greenway and Trail.With LRCA and  LCCD, the OSM/VISTAs develop environmental education programs, including the Community Connections to Our Watershed program for high school students and the bi-county Envirothon competition.

The OSM/VISTAs assisted in writing the application for a TreeVitalize grant from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). The $200,000 grant will be distributed among local municipalities as part of the TreeVitalize program that will increase tree canopy cover in Pennsylvania’s metropolitan areas.

 

Partners and Contributors:

Over the last 16 years, LHVA has played a significant role in more than 350 local projects and programs.  It has leveraged tens of millions of dollars of investment in the region to benefit its communities and citizens.  Driven by its mission, LHVA has worked with a wide array of partners to accomplish its work including:  federal and state government agencies (National Park Service, The Corporation for National and Community Service, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Department of Economic and Community Development); regional municipalities; watershed and environmental organizations (Lackawanna River Corridor Association, Conservation Alliance, Lackawanna County Conservation District); and non-profit organizations (Scranton Tomorrow, Rail-Trail Council of NEPA, Lackawanna Historical Society).