Susquehanna River Basin Commission Strengthens Right-To-Know Policy, Recognized Mark Hartle With Goddard Award

On March 8 the Susquehanna River Basin Commission held its quarterly business meeting in State College and finalized changes strengthening its Right-To-Know Policy and presented its 10th Maurice K. Goddard Award for Excellence by a Water Management Professional to Mark Hartle of Port Matilda, PA.

Hartle was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the protection of fisheries in the Susquehanna River Basin.  He serves as Chief of the Division of Environmental Services with the Fish and Boat Commission.

In particular, the Commission cited Hartle’s coordination on the technical review of energy sector water use applications, his key role in developing ecological flow standards for the Susquehanna River and its tributaries, and his participation on the Commission’s advisory committees.

Hartle earned a B.S. in Biology from the Univ. of Pittsburgh, Johnstown in 1978 and a M.A. in Fishery Science from Cornell University In 1983.

Hartle’s professional experience includes work as a Sanitarian for seven years with DEP, and 22 years working with the PFBC as a Fisheries Biologist in DES.  His time with DES includes work as the Chief of the Aquatic Resources Section since 2005.

Hartle has a broad background in DES including work on such things as instream flow protection, hydropower license review, thermal discharges from power plants, impingement and entrainment of fish and other aquatic organisms, herbicide permit review, drawdown permit review, natural resource damage assessments at Superfund sites and related settlement negotiations, mining, and pollution investigations.

Hartle has served as the agency’s liaison with both the Delaware River Basin Commission and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. Mark also has experience managing grant programs related to settlements of various types with industry.

Mark and his wife Patti reside in Port Matilda. His hobbies include hunting, fishing and woodworking. Mark is excited to begin his work as Division Chief, having aspired to this position as he has advanced through the ranks at the PFBC.

Other Actions

Among its other actions, the Commission:

-- Adopted its FY 2019 budget reconciliation;

-- Authorized the Executive Director to spend $300,000 from the Commission’s Water Management Fund to complete the Billmeyer Quarry consumptive use mitigation site characterization and testing, including payment to the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority of $75,000;

-- Approved the execution of two agreements, one with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to participate in a project that will provide flood stage inundation mapping for Swatara Creek, and another with the Clearfield County Conservation District to support the Bilger Run abandoned mine drainage passive treatment system project;

-- Granted the waiver request of South Middleton Township Municipal Authority to extend the expiration date of its groundwater withdrawal approval; and

-- Approved nine applications, two of which included reduced withdrawal rates, and tabled three others.

The voting Commissioners and alternates were: Col. Ed Chamberlayne, Chair, Commander and District Engineer, Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Paul D’Amato, Director, Region 8, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; Tim Schaeffer, Acting Deputy Secretary, Water Programs, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; and Virginia Kearney, Deputy Director, Water Management Administration, Maryland Department of the Environment.

Click Here for the complete announcement.

For more information on upcoming meetings, visit SRBC’s Public Participation Center webpage.

For more information on programs, training opportunities and upcoming events, visit the Susquehanna River Basin Commission website.  Follow SRBC on Twitter, visit them on YouTube.

(Photo: Mark Hartle, Chief of the Division of Environmental Services with the Fish and Boat Commission.)