Housing Development Protestors Confront Water Authority

Thursday’s board meeting of the State College Borough Water Authority may have been its loudest ever.

Area residents turned out in force to protest a proposed housing development they fear will contaminate two wells that supply much of the area’s drinking water. Though the board and the public clearly respected each other, there was an unmistakable tension that grew as the meeting went on. 

“We’ve been called emotional and uninformed, but I think we’ve all read the studies and done our research,” area Bob Radzwich remarked at one point, calling attention to that tension.

The meeting had many interesting tangents, including meditations on professional ethics and a debate about the role of science in the democratic process.

But the real question of the night was simple: should the Ferguson Township Board of Supervisors approve a Toll Brothers housing development about 4,000 feet uphill from the recharge area for the Harter and Thomas wells?

The water authority does not have the power to prevent townships from doing anything, but the dozens of community members in the room already realized that.

“Everyone here does have power even if it’s not formal voting power,” Penn State doctoral student Azita Ranjbar told the board.

“You have influence, connections to various people in government, and the power to be much more critical throughout this process. Your ethical obligation is to use your power in such a way as to represent the public’s wishes.”

But the water authority seems unconvinced the proposed development will have the dire consequences some have warned against. Board member Emory Enscore even asked the protestors for “your science” several times.

Hydrologist and water authority consultant Dave Yoxthimer did confirm that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection ranks commercial and residential runoff as one of the most potentially harmful kinds of water contamination.

And board member Jeffery Kern also acknowledged that the authority had been “very much concerned” about the proposal several months ago. But Kern said the last few months have been spent working with the designers and engineers to make the development safer than regulations require.

“The impact on our water from this development is minimal, if it exists at all,” Kern said.

However, Kern still agreed with some members of the public on a related issue.

Ferguson Township resident (and board of supervisors candidate) Peter Buckland condemned the Cottages at State College as “sprawl,” and called the proposal “foolish.” Kern, though more reserved, seemed inclined to agree.

“The concern I have is about our valley, as we develop and develop and develop and the development spreads, spreads, spreads,” Kern said. “ I don’t know what the tipping point is when you develop over and over in a watershed.”

At the end of the night, the issue was still unresolved – but that was never the point. After all, disagreements are water in the well of democracy. 

“You’ve been catching heat that might not be yours to bear,” Radzwich told the board. “We all appreciate what you do.”

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