Morgantown Dominion Post
7 December 2005
By Janet L. Metzner
The Friends of Deckers Creek organization has big plans for the rusty, sometimes acidic creek, said Martin Christ, the organization's director.
But first they need to know exactly where pollution comes from, and how much pollution there is, Christ said.
Today the organization will ask the Monongalia County Commission for help applying for a federal grant to assess how much pollution comes from abandoned mines, he said.
"We are asking for the county commission to submit a brownfield-assessment proposal," Christ said.
The group is not asking the commission for money, but for them to apply for the $198,000 grant, he said.
A brownfield is a former industrial area that, because of pollution, is not being used by the community, Christ said.
The County Commission meets at 10 a.m. today at the second floor of the Monongalia County Courthouse, High Street.
County Commissioners John Pyles and Asel Kennedy said Tuesday they had not yet reviewed the proposal.
"We've sponsored grants for them before, but we've always cooperated with them because they are a very hard-working group and do a good job," Pyles said.
Christ said he envisions cleaning up the creek to make way for lush lawns to rest on after bike rides on the Deckers Creek Trail, and landscaping places along the bank for fishing.
"There's no reason why daddy and mommy couldn't go to the Kroger together, and while mommy shops, daddy could take the kids fishing," he said, referring to the creek that flows behind the Sabraton Kroger store.
The proposal will go to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an application for a brownfield-assessment grant.
The grant would pay for monitoring pollution coming from the abandoned Richard mine, assessing pollution that may come from mines upstream in Preston County, and to assess lands that are not being used along Deckers Creek and the rail-trail, Christ said.
Those lands could become parks.
The grant would enhance the work planned by the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service, Christ said.
The service is initiating a study of the Richard mine, Christ said.
Having more information about how much water comes out of the mine would support that study.
To review the proposal, call Friends of Deckers Creek at 292-3970, or visit www.deckerscreek.org.
To comment on the proposal, call the County Commission at 291-7257.