Shaler commissioners approve pollutant reduction plan

On a sunny Saturday afternoon in early July, Dan Miller, 42, of Ross, decided to take advantage of the nice weather and bring his daughter Kennedy, 8, niece Lea, 11, and nephew Luke, 14, out to Pine Creek for some fishing.

“We go to different spots all along Pine Creek,” Miller said. “It’s well stocked and we catch a lot of good fish and we have a good time down here.”

Miller said they often catch trout and occasionally, walleye and bass. It’s why Miller said he’s all for the recently approved the Girty’s Run, Pine Creek/Little Pine Creek pollutant reduction plan. Shaler Township’s system of storm drains, pipes or ditches to collect or disperse stormwater drains into the Girty’s Run, Pine Creek/Little Pine Creek watershed. The township has a goal of removing nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment as part of a DEP-required pollutant reduction plan.

Shaler commissioners unanimously approved the pollutant reduction plan on June 13. The board also unanimously approved an agreement with Millvale for costs related to the Girty’s Run Stream Restoration Project. Shaler is responsible for 80% of all costs while Millvale is responsible for 20%.

“I love it because Girty’s Run is actually in my back yard. I live off of Babcock Boulevard,” Miller said. “Anything that’s going to be cleaner is better for the environment. They should clean it up. My 8-year-old loves fishing so I’d rather it not be toxic waste that she’s fishing in. I want her to fish forever.”

A public hearing on the plan was held prior to the votes being taken, though no one spoke.

Commissioners awarded the Girty’s Run Stream Restoration Project to Meadville Land Service, the lowest bidder with a base bid of $96,450.

“What these projects try to do is restore the natural character of the stream where you’re trying to work with Mother Nature and direct the flow of the stream through the watercourse and move the water through without those erosive forces on the banks,” said township engineer Matt Bagaley.

“You’re trying to keep those erosive forces toward the middle of the stream and not on the banks where the erosion is going to happen. So, by doing these pollutant reduction plans and stabilizing the banks, you’re reducing that erosion along the banks, which is why you get the credits for sediment reduction and all these other things because the banks aren’t eroding anymore,” he said.

Abby Nelson, who teaches a sustainability class at Shaler Area High School, said that protecting the course of the stream will not only improve water quality but help control flooding.

“It’s all great news. The erosion issues this (plan) will help mitigate would have become worse,” Nelson said. “It would be a good thing to start the school year with, teaching kids about how the township is going to be protecting the Girty’s run and Little Pine Creek watershed.”

Shaler commissioner Dave Mizgorski said the pollutant reduction plan is in the township’s best interest.

“It’s in conjunction with Millvale. We’re going to work together with them and it’s a good thing for the whole community.”

Millvale borough manager Eddie Figas said he appreciated Shaler’s willingness to let Millvale participate in the plan.

“It’s a wonderful agreement for both communities to be able to do this,” Figas said. “It’s something that is certainly in the community’s best interest. We have requirements that we have to meet, this being one of them. It’s the right thing to do no matter what. It’s certainly good for all communities to dig deep into what the status is of their water sources.”