The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service is accepting public comments on a proposal to decommission out-of-service water wells at four boat-to campgrounds in the Bradford Ranger District of the Allegheny National Forest.
The proposed sites are located at Handsome Lake, Hooks Brooks, Hopewell, and Pine Grove Boat Access Campgrounds in Elk and Mead Townships of Warren County.
Prior to 2017, all four campgrounds, only accessible by boat or trail, offered public drinking water through drilled water wells with handpumps. Water samples drawn from the wells did not consistently pass water quality tests. The infrequent use of these wells may have contributed to the continual failure of water quality tests. In 2017, to comply with state and federal drinking water regulations, the pumps were made inoperable by removing their handles. In 2022, the well casings were capped and inspected by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Proposed activities to decommission the water wells include the removal of concrete pads, cutting the well casing off below the ground’s surface, plugging the well with bentonite, and regrading the site. These activities will be conducted using hand tools and manual methods. Concrete and other waste will be transported off site by boat and disposed of appropriately.
Comments may be submitted by Feb. 7, 2025, in the following ways:
Online: Comments may be submitted on the project website at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=67388. Click on Comment/Object on Project located on the right side of the webpage under the Get Connected sidebar. If uploading attachments, please use file formats compatible with Microsoft Office or Adobe Acrobat.
Mail: Richard Hatfield, District Ranger, Bradford Ranger District, 29 Forest Service Drive, Bradford, PA 16701.
Phone: Verbal comments may be submitted by calling the Bradford District office at (814) 362-4613 during business hours. Normal business hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays.
Please note that any comments received, including the names and addresses of those who submit comments, will be part of the public record and available for public inspection. For more information, contact Hatfield at (814) 362-4613 or Richard.Hatfield@usda.gov.
