Sample Video Testimony on Act 54 Report
Channel: Eva Westheimer
Date: 2015-03-09

See Transcript Below

To the Citizens Advisory Council:

Today is March 9, 2015. My name is Eva Westheimer and I live in Carnegie, PA. I love to hike and recreate along the streams in Ryerson Station State Park. Many of these streams are within a new longwall mine permit expansion. I am concerned about those streams being destroyed by this future mining activity. The Act 54 report found that 74% of streams undermined by longwall mining have been impaired or destroyed and that is just unacceptable. To alleviate this impact of longwall mining, the Citizens Advisory Council should recommend that full extraction mining be forbidden underneath streams, including streams that may not flow all year round. 

In addition to the harms on streams and wetlands that the Act 54 report uncovers, I am concerned about DEP’s rampant disorganization of data. This disorganization severely hampers community engagement and enforcement actions. I therefore request that the CAC recommend that the DEP address data organization and management issues by implementing an information system and standards for data that are enforced to facilitate meaningful evaluation of information, accessibility, and transparency.

Thank you for considering my concerns and recommendations.