My Rant about Bud Shuster and how he screwed my backyard

[Momof1]

Back story on Bud Shuster Highway/Pigskin Porkway or I-99

http://www.pahighways.com/IHwys/I99.html


COURT DISMISSES LEGAL CHALLENGE OF HIGHWAY RIDER

A Federal District Court ruled against Pennsylvania environmentalists and sport groups last month in their effort to halt a highway construction project through sensitive habitat, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on November 17. The challenge focused on a 66-word passage buried in the 1998 federal transportation bill exempting an Interstate 99 construction project from federal environmental law. The passage was authored by Representative Bud Shuster, a Pennsylvania Republican who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The relevant section reads: "notwithstanding any other provision of law ... the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is authorized to proceed with engineering, final design and construction of " on Bald Eagle Mountain.

Critics argue that the eight-mile highway addition will damage important wildlife habitat, 500 spring seeps, and 66 streams. The District Court disagreed with their claim that the language was excessively vague. The issue is currently under appeal in the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.

http://www.wildlandscpr.org/newsletters/Skid_Marks/skidmarks28.htm


So that's the back story on I-99. The environmentalists lost and the highway proceeded over the mountain. This morning I wake up and read the front page of my newspaper.

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/7960448.htm

Snip:
Interstate 99 road builders trying to surmount Skytop have unearthed massive amounts of a "wicked" acidic pollutant that poses a major threat to a high-quality fishing stream, state officials said.

The recognition that up to 1 million cubic yards of iron pyrite has been exposed to rain and snow and perhaps groundwater runoff is the biggest construction setback the state Department of Transportation has encountered since it began building the $700 million highway five years ago

Fixing the problem could cost millions more at a time when highway dollars are getting harder to find, and it could slow construction enough to delay this year's scheduled opening of I-99 from Grays Woods to Port Matilda.

...One cubic yard of acid rock weighs about 1.5 tons and amounts to the volume of a standard pickup truck bed. If Beaver Stadium were a big bowl and the stands didn't leak, a million cubic yards of rock would virtually fill the stadium.


The stream that is closest to this mess, goes behind my parents house, I had lived there my entire life, and I grew up playing in that stream.

Thanks... I just needed to scream it from the rooftops.

[punpirate]

1. Shuster didn't make the...

... "Ten Dimmest Bulbs in Congress" list for nothing.... So, what did his constituents do when their corrupt representative retired? Voted in his son.

An almost equally shameful part of this, quite apart from the environmental problems, is that fact that eight miles of highway will cost more than $700 million to build--almost $90 million a mile. Republicans are always spouting on about cost-benefit analysis, except in what they want.

Sorry to hear about this area's problem.

[Momof1]

2. Thank you, I couldn't believe Jr. got into congress either.

He is worse than his dad, he just got busted spying on his upcoming rival. And his assistant that did the dirty deed is cooperating with officials in the investigation. I hope he goes down. I hope the outrage over this mess (the road) will reflect on Jr's record. But honestly he didn't have anything to do with it.

[ochazuke]

3. I feel for ya buddy

This road-building insanity has got to stop, but the thousands of political machines across the country seem to exist for nothing else but to "improve our infrastructure" which actually means: forget about repairing roads we already have, and build new (and dangerous) ones we don't need, meanwhile bringing blight, a degraded environment, and a lower quality of life.

[Kolesar]

4. Their excuse was that the borings missed the vertical strata

I would think that if they hired geologists, they would have known that there was vertical strata in the area and they would have done more tests and analysis.

More likely, is that they just rammed this through government knowing that their only goal was to get the project started.

I recall that Bud Shuster left Congress when the ethical charges of corruption were piling up. He was chair of a highway appropriations committee, I recall. There is always a lot of graft associated with highways and public works.

edit: "left Congress", not "resigned"

[Kolesar]

5. How about a four lane scar through the Allegheny Front?

http://www.corridor-o.com/

Now they need a corridor from Clearfield to Port Matilda, with an ultimate connection to get to Harrisburg. Just at the time when we are running out of petroleum, Pennsylvania wants to spend billions on another highway through the precious countryside.

I was reading the Centre Daily Times article and they mentioned the 10,000 trucks down this corridor and the air pollution that will follow. Air pollution funds were mentioned, but one local resident responded: "so I get asthma and I should be happy to know there is money put aside for it" (a paraphrase).

[Momof1]

7. They have more asinine projects in the works

They are throwing around ideas like putting a tunnel through Nittany Mountain, (different mountain, Penn State Football team named after it) And all sorts of 4 lanes on the side of the mountain that I live on now. Hopefully with this particular screw-up those plans will be stopped, but I doubt it. If they want to go to Harrisburg from there, There will be a 4 lane highway over top of my head. The best thing about the area is the environment and section by section they are screwing it up.

[Kolesar]

8. I have hiked on Nittany Mountain

I am quite familiar with the area. I got to family reunions in the area. I have watched Bald Eagles while canoeing Bald Eagle Creek (Foster Sayers Dam) and I have perched with vultures on the bald face of Tussey Mountain. There is a great hike on the Mid-State Trail that leads to an overlook of the Juniata River and the town of Tyrone.

Federal definitions of "wilderness" are a roadless area, but the low density of population makes central Pennsylvania practically a wilderness.

Maybe I'll see you at the Centre County Fair, that is when the family reunion is. The Democratic Party always has a booth there :)

[Momof1]

9. On either side of Skytop mountain are creeks

That go into Sayers Dam, While right now they are concentrating on Spring Creek, I am sure that Bald Eagle will also be contaminated. It really pisses me off. I also use to live on the banks of Bald Eagle. And seen the flooding in springtime. There is no way that it won't be contaminated. I am worried about Sayers Dam. They are reporting that insects are beginning to disappear near the highway in Spring Creek, I am afraid its just a matter of time. The State Legislature is getting involved "Not to place Blame, but to help in anyway possible" :puke:

I live really close to the fair grounds now. Last summer the Party's had a contest, to see who could get the most voters in each Party. I had been an independent for 12 yrs, but at the fair I switched to the Dem party. I will definitely be there this year.

:)

[Kolesar]

11. My first impression is to contact these folks if they are not involved yet

The State College / Moshannon group of the Sierra Club
http://pennsylvania.sierraclub.org/moshannon/index.html

I do activism with my Ohio group. I would recommend emailing or calling their Conservation Chair (or others) at the Moshannon group. Keep in mind that they are a volunteer group and may only have a slight amount of time to spend on the matter. They may want *you* to do a lot of the newspaper-clipping and calling, and whatever it takes. It is worth calling them nonetheless.

I would think that in a college town, there may be some students who could latch onto this issue and get it some attention. Just a few ideas here to get you started. You could write a letter to the Centre Daily Times! Your point about flooding is very good.

I remember that contest last year. BTW, my sort-of-relatives live north of Howard.

[CoonDawg]

6. Job Security...

Well, I work for an environmental company that has a contract with the EPA in region 3. Maybe this is a nice job we can bid on. We're nice guys and we love those superfund bucks.

Sorry for the potential loss of your stream at your childhood home.

Ern

[Bill McBlueState]

10. I-99

I'm still pissed that they called that road I-99. It doesn't fit into the numbering scheme!!

:grr:

;)