The Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference is the longest-running annual environmental conference in the Commonwealth focused on abandoned mine reclamation and the associated issues affected communities face.
The Conference’s Mayfly Award recognizes individuals who have dedicated a lifetime of knowledge, expertise, and passion to the reclamation of abandoned mines in the state.
The mayfly was selected as the symbol for this award because its presence in streams indicates clean water.
Hutchinson helped start SCWA in 1999 when volunteer-led watershed organizations were forming to identify, strategize, and implement projects to restore life to waterways degraded by pollution.
Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) was, and in many places remains, the number one source of pollution to regional streams.
Melissa Reckner, a SCWA member, said, “No one has spent as many years as Larry championing Shade Creek watershed and its amenities. I first met Larry, more than two decades ago. Larry had big ideas and more hope than most for the recovery of Dark Shade Creek and its tributaries. Always a dreamer, Larry’s ‘pie-in-the-sky’ ideas put off nay-sayers, but his enthusiasm was and continues to be infectious, and it is impossible not to want to help Larry bring his vision of a healthy watershed to fruition.”
Decades of unregulated pollution takes time to undo, and, under Hutchinson’s leadership, SCWA continued to slowly, but steadily move forward with various projects.
Hutchinson has--
-- Learned how to write and manage grants;
-- Organized limestone sanding parties;
-- Collected water samples and macroinvertebrates;
-- Assisted the Fish and Boat Commission with a trap-and-transfer of wild brook trout to Shingle Run, a stream that was unable to support trout until an Anoxic Limestone Drain and limestone sanding was applied
-- Participated in meetings and conferences to further his education and network;
-- Advocated for SCWA all the time;
-- Supported SCWA’s partners; and
-- Celebrated the return of aquatic life to Laurel Run with an annual kids’ fishing rodeo; and
-- Shared his knowledge with students of all ages through educational programs within the Shade-Central City school district and beyond.
Jeff Sarver, current SCWA president, said, “What got me involved is a few years ago, Larry spoke at Shade-Central City Middle School about restoring Dark Shade Creek, and my son came home and said, ‘Some guy came to the school today and said they’re going to restore Dark Shade to a fishable stream,’ and I thought ‘that’s nuts.’ Two days later, I was meeting with Larry, and we spoke for hours talking about all this stuff, and he asked me to get involved.”
Sarver said he is grateful for Hutchinson’s guidance and vision over the past 25 years-- “We are excited for the active treatment system in development and the future community outreach projects we have coming in the near future.”
Hutchinson was speechless at the award presentation, noting it was a total surprise. Hutchinson said, “I am very proud of what the volunteers of the watershed have done and we’re still going! We’re not done yet.”
Andy McAllister, Regional Coordinator of the Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation who serves on the Conference committee said, “It’s amazing what Larry has done. I’ve known Larry almost twenty years. Larry has always had this aplomb – the way he deals with things, the way that he has laughed at things, the way he finds interesting tidbits of information. He is a thinking man, and he finds a way to get projects done and that is what the Mayfly Award is about.”
Hutchinson currently serves as vice-president of SCWA, and he is a very active member of his community.
He is a board member of the Shade Central City Water Authority, Stonycreek Conemaugh River Improvement Project (SCRIP), and Bedford County Players.
He is also a member of the Camp Mt. Union Church Camp, VFW post 7565, American Legion Post #6, and Central City Historical Society.
He is a Vietnam War veteran and believes in peace education and non-violent communication.
Click Here for more on the Mayfly Award and past winners.
For more information, visit the Shade Creek Watershed Association website. SCWA typically meets the third Friday of each month at its office in the Shade Township Municipal Building in Cairnbrook. Everyone is welcomed.
Visit the Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference website for presentations from the 2025 Conference and more information.
(Photo: Jeff Sarver, Melissa Reckner, Larry Hutchinson, Lori Wagner (Larry’s daughter), and Matt Wagner (Larry’s son-in-law). Photo by Tom Grote.)
[Posted: October 27, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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