Watershed Advocacy
As educators, stewards and protectors of our watersheds it’s necessary to take action for the common good against uncommon opposition. As GVA's priorities are announced they will be placed here.
Exceptional Value Designation
In 1994, the Green Valleys Association with its 38 co-petitioners filed a petition with the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board for the upgrade of the French Creek watershed from a designation of High Quality (HQ) to Exceptional Value(EV). In September of 1998, the French Creek watershed west of Route 100 and the Birch Run watershed were granted this upgrade. In February 2004, Green Valleys’ petition seeking to obtain an upgrade from HQ to EV of the lower reaches of French Creek, from the Kennedy Covered Bridge in East Vincent and East Pikeland Townships upstream to Route 100 in South Coventry Township was accepted by Pennsylvania’s Environmental Quality Board.
What is Exceptional Value?
Exceptional Value designation is only accorded to those bodies of water that meet the most stringent chemical and biological criteria set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. It is the highest level of protection afforded in the state. Unlike the High Quality designation, which permits water quality degradation if it can be proven there is social or economic need, with the EV designation, only discharges of equal or better ambient water quality are permitted.
What will this designation accomplish?
Because of the more stringent discharge requirements that accompany the EV designation, water bodies with this designation will be further protected against point source and non-point source pollution. The result will be higher water quality, greater recreational value for such activities as hiking and fishing and quite possibly higher property values for those properties along a water body with EV designation.
What will it not do?
Despite some belief to the contrary, the Exceptional Value designation does not prohibit development. Rather, by using the required Best Management Practices (BMPs), it fosters better planning and execution of development plans. There are several examples of large developments that have been successfully approved in the upper portion of the French Creek watershed since the EV designation was received in 1998, among them are: the French Creek Golf Course Community in Warwick, East and West Nantmeal Townships and the Weatherstone development (The Hankin Group) in West Vincent Township. It is also worthy to note that individual property rights are not and have not been violated by the granting of the EV designation.