BiosolidsCorner Snippets by Diane Garvey

Rattler Mountain Reclamation Project:

Biosolids Success StorySupported by 28 Organizations

It is no surprise that conservationists are begging forbiosolids. One example is an ongoing Growing Greenerproject for an acid mine drainage abatement program. The Pennsylvania Game Land in Tioga County was revegetated using biosolids to fertilize and enrich theformerly barren soil. The project wasundertaken at the request of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which owns theland, and was supported by cooperative efforts of 28 organizations, includinglocal environmentalists, sportsmens associations and the Babb Creek WatershedAssociation.

TheCommission's Land Management Supervisor for the NorthcentralRegion, Dennis Dusza, commends the effort as yieldingbeautiful results, even with the drought. Within two weeks of the actual application of the biosolids, enhancedsoil quality conditions could be noticed in the success rate of thegermination of the applied seed mixtures. Getting this quantityand quality of forage as a result of using the biosolids process enabled us tofast forward what Mother Nature would have taken 75 to 100 years to accomplish.

Thebiosolids recycling phase of the Rattler Mountain Reclamation Project was begunlast fall to improve the areas water quality by minimizing infiltration andrunoff from highly acid coal spoils. Babb Creek, a tributary of Pine Creek, drains an area of 130 squaremiles, and the surrounding area is considered one of Pennsylvanias premierrecreational areas for outdoorsmen. However, a stream assessment, funded through a Growing Greener Grant,revealed that four abandoned coalmines were causing a serious acid minedrainage problem into two major tributaries of Pine Creek.

Havingbeen dead for 100 years, the streams are expected to be free of acidity by nextfall when the reclamation project is completed. According to Doug Saylor of Pennsylvania Department of EnvironmentalProtection, the scope of the project grew from 10 acres to 70 acres of barrenland that had no herbaceous cover. Priorto seeding, 12,075 tons of biosolids cake from the Philadelphia WaterDepartment was land applied to 58 acres to create an environment suitable forthe growth of new vegetation. Clovers, winter wheat and winter rye,introduced in September, are becoming established and will appeal to groundnesting birds like turkey and grouse. Warm season grasses will be planted this spring to attract such animalsas deer and rabbits. Future plantingswill include trees such as crabapple, aspen, and oak to further enhancewildlife habitat.

TheBabb Creek success story is a perfect example of the power of partnerships,DEP Secretary David E. Hess said. Working together, the Babb Creek Watershed Association, Arnot Sportsmens Club,Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), Trout Unlimited, thePennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and many others have been able toaccomplish amazing things to help clean up the acid mine drainage problems inthis watershed.

BobMcCullough, president of the Babb Creek Watershed Association, retiredenvironmental engineer and long-time conservationist, has been involved withthe project since its inception. Emphasizing the collaborative nature of the effort, he stated that heabsolutely would recommend that other watershed associations use biosolids toestablish vegetation. We have grass as green as anything you ever sawJustthink what that will do for the real estate value of the people in thearea! When asked if, as a formerprofessional environmental consultant, he has any concerns about the safety ofthe biosolids, he said he does not, adding, Its goodstuff, and it just does a #1 job.

WilliamToffey of the Philadelphia Water Departmentcoordinated an assortment of contractors to get the job done. SynaGrow initiatedthe permitting; WMPI did the hauling and subcontracted the land application to Kyler Environmental. So many volunteers and agencies were looking forward to getting thebiosolids because it has been shown that ground water quality improves at minereclamation sites. In addition, enhancedwildlife habitat will restore the land to productive use.

Adedication ceremony will be held at the site on May 21, 2003.

Formore information contact Diane Garvey 215 362-4444