PA Environment Digest Blog: DEP Secretary Visits Williamsport To Discuss Need For Funding To Address Community Flooding Problems

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

DEP Secretary Visits Williamsport To Discuss Need For Funding To Address Community Flooding Problems

On October 9, Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell joined City of Williamsport officials and municipal partners to view flood-impacted sites along Grafius Run.

“As I travel around the state, local officials consistently tell me they are experiencing more frequent and more severe flooding events. This will only become worse as our climate continues to change,” said McDonnell, who visited Grafius Run as part of a three-day tour of DEP’s fourteen-county Northcentral region.

During the tour, the secretary and local officials walked through a portion of the affected neighborhood and viewed several sections of Grafius Run, including debris racks where the stream enters an underground culvert next to St. Luke’s Lutheran Church; a flood-damaged playground area at Cochran Primary School; and a buried stream tunnel on Vernon Avenue.

“The Grafius Run flooding issue is a major concern for the citizens of Williamsport and our department,” said Adam Winder, Director of Streets and Parks for the City of Williamsport.

“We are honored that the secretary visited Williamsport to see this situation firsthand,” said Bonnie Katz, Chairwoman of the City of Williamsport Public Works Committee. “We look forward to working with DEP and local municipal partners to solve this problem.”

McDonnell noted that existing funding sources are inadequate to meet communities’ present needs, let alone these future challenges.

“We need the Restore Pennsylvania plan to proactively tackle critical flood control infrastructure, so communities like Williamsport don’t continue to suffer repetitive losses to public infrastructure and private property,” he said.

Restore Pennsylvania is an aggressive plan to address the Commonwealth’s vital infrastructure needs, including flood control and best management practices to improve local water quality.

(Photo: Grafius Run flood tour.)

NewsClips:

DEP Secretary Tours Flood-Prone Part Of Williamsport

Williamsport Residents Share Flooding Concerns With DEP Secretary

Grafius Run Flooding Catches Attention Of State, $1.1 Million Proposed

West Pittston Flood Protection Options Set For Release Tonight At Meeting

Federal Disaster Relief Approved For Farmers In Northwest PA