Kantner man takes helm of new Bottomlands Conservancy, ensuring rehab of Stonycreek continues

Yahoo

12 hours ago

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – As chairman of the newly formed Bottomlands Conservancy, Logan Lichvar, of Kantner, will now be at the tip of the spear in keeping polluted mine water from entering the Stonycreek River.
The Friedens-based nonprofit has taken over several abandoned mine discharge treatment facilities from the Somerset County Conservancy, and the North Star graduate hopes to continue the ongoing battle to rehabilitate local waterways.
'It definitely means a lot,' said Lichvar. 'I feel a large responsibility, but I know we have guys in place on the board and future members that are going to help out a lot.'
Lichvar said that the conservancy was looking for someone to take over the sites, and was either going to give them away or sell them.
'So,' he said, 'to keep those properties open to the public and make sure the AMD sites are taken care of in the future, we decided to go ahead and start Bottomlands so that we could transfer those properties to us.'
Lichvar and his father Len, who will serve as Bottomlands' vice chairman, already have a great deal of experience with the treatment facilities, as each worked with the conservancy in the past. The elder Lichvar recently retired from the Somerset Conservation District.
As an employee of InnoH2O Solutions in Friedens, which conducts AMD engineering and treatment for coal companies and the state Department of Environmental Protection, Logan Lichvar will use experience gained from the private sector. The company's president, Mike McClusky, will serve as Bottomlands secretary.
'Nobody in Bottomlands is going to be paid,' said Lichvar.
'It's a true small nonprofit. Everything is volunteer.'
Currently there are just four members, with InnoH2O's Nate Moot serving as treasurer.
Established with a letter of determination from the state Nov. 6, Bottomlands will be writing grants and seeking donations and membership fees to maintain and operate the passive treatment sites.
'Right now, we basically just threw a couple of bucks in to get it started and get it going,' said Lichvar.
Aside from treating polluted water, one of Bottomlands' goals is to keep open to the public approximately 200 acres of ground that comes with the transfer.
Lichvar explained that the Somerset Conservation District has always funded, operated and maintained the treatment ponds, and the conservancy was the land trust that owned the ground.
'It just made sense to do something to keep local control and make sure they're open to the public so people can keep hunting there and walking,' he said.
The properties are used for hiking, hunting, trapping, bird-watching and fishing.
Deer, turkeys, woodcocks, squirrels, and even an occasional bear or bald eagle use the properties, Lichvar said. Jenner Rod and Gun Club stocks pheasants on one parcel.
Lichvar said Bottomlands' immediate goals are to rehabilitate a treatment facility on Coal Run in Meyersdale, and to address two seepage areas at its Hawk View site north of Kantner. Water from those sites flows into the Casselman and Stonycreek rivers, respectively.
'We would be looking at adding systems wherever we can,' said Lichvar. 'We're definitely a Somerset County group, but we're not limiting ourselves to Somerset County.'
He added, 'Even if it's consulting with other nonprofit organizations or conservation districts, it feels good to know you're doing something that's making a difference.'