ML19254C687
| ML19254C687 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Susquehanna  |
| Issue date: | 12/31/1978 |
| From: | PENNSYLVANIA POWER & LIGHT CO. |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18031A288 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7910170124 | |
| Download: ML19254C687 (65) | |
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h A MONITORING STUDY OF COMMUNITY IMPACT:
AN UPDATE Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Pennsylvania Power & Light Company Allentown, Pennsylvania 7 91 O i 7 0 A'd.-
December 1978 llg3 l g }) 0LL0 >-
SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION COMMUNITY IMPACT MONITORING STUDY: AN UPDATE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT PENNSYLVANIA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY TWO NORTH NINTH STREET ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA 18101 DECEMBER, 1978 1155 163
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I -
SUMMARY
AND CONCLUSIONS 1 A. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 B. Findings and Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
- 1. General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
- 2. Housing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
- 3. Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
- 4. Local Economy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- 5. Community Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- 6. Inflationary Impact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
- 7. Public Attitudes . . . . . . . . . . ...... 5 C. Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 CHAPTER II - SURVEY OF NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES 8 A. Summary of Survey Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 B. Area of Residence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 C. Type and Tenure of Residence . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 D. Family Size. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 E. Age of Employees . . . . , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 14 F. Number of Children by Grade Level and School District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 G. Shopping Patterns. . . . . . . , . , , , . , , , , , 19 H. Recreational Activities. . . . . , , , . , , , , , , 19 I. Hospital Use and Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 J. Attitude Towards Area of Residence . . . . . . . . . 21 K. PP&L Survey Responses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 CHAPTER III - BACKGROUND INFORMATION: POPULATION, 26 EMPLOYMENT AND MANPOWER A. Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 B. Work Force Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 C. Manpower Needs at the Project Site . . . . . . . . . 30
- 1. Manual Work Force. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 D. Non-Manual Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 l1S3 164
Page E. PP&L Work Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 SOURCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 CHAPTER IV - LOCAL VIEWS ON COMMUNITY IMPACTS A. Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 B. Local Economy / Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 C. Educational Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 D. General Community Impacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 SOURCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 CHAPTER V - LOCAL ECONOMIC IMPACTS A. Wage Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 B. Purchase of Goods and Services . . . . . . . . . . 47 C. Local Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
- 1. Real Estate Tax Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
- 2. Tax Impacts: Salem Township . . . . . . . . 48 D. Local Economic Impacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
- 1. Housing Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
- 2. Food Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 SOURCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 CHAPTER VI - COMMUNITY FACILITIES A. School Enrollment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 B. Hospital Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 C. Water Supply (Make-up) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 a D. Public Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
- 1. Police Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
- 2. Emergency Servicce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 SOURCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 1155 165
CHAPTER I
SUMMARY
AND CONCLUSIONS A. Introduction In 1976, Pennsylvania Power & Light Company's (PP&L)
Community Services Department published a report on a monitor-ing program of community impacts associated with the construc-tion of PP&L's Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES) , a nuclear generating station under construction near Berwick, Pennsylvania (See Figurc I-1) . The purpose of the first study, conducted largely in 1975, was to establish a procedure to col-lect information during construction and operating phases of the SSES in order to assess short- and long-term social costs and benefits.
The major findings and conclusions of that study ad-dressed several areas. Complaints from adjacent neighbors regarding construction nuisances and physical damage to struc-tures resulting from construction blasting led to recommen-dations on improvements for site preparation and construction activities. Related to this concern was a recommendation to establish a project advisory committee on subsequent construc-tion projects. Preconstruction inventories were recommended to establish information on housing stock and land costs. A stronger program for promoting employment opportunities for local residents was also recommended.
A commitment was also made in the 1976 study to continue monitoring efforts during SSES construction and operation phases. That commitment resulted in the publication of this
, document. Its purpose is to review construction impacts on local communities since the 1976 study as well as to examine the status of recommendations made in that first study.
The study techniques in this update were the same as those used for the 1976 study. The methods consisted primar-ily of a questionnaire survey of non-manual employees of Bechtel Power Corporation and PP&L and a series of interviews with local and regional officials, businessmen and community leaders. Because the SSES is five years into construction, the 1Ib5 166
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study's principal thrust is qualitative rather than quanti-tative. Most of the major socio-economic impacts related to construction have already occurred and there is little need to emp qy quantitative methods for predictive purposes. Con-sequently, the techniques employed herein are not necessarily intended to serve as models for all power facility projects.
B. Findings and Conclusions 1
- 1. General As indicated in the 1976 report, this update confirms that SSES construction avoided " boom town" syndromes experienced at other large construction projects in different parts of the country. No excessive or overwhelming demands were niade on any community f acilities or the community's cap-ability to provide services, a conclusion shared by all local officials contacted in the course of the update. In large part the minimal impact on local communities was due to adequate supplies of workers from the regional labor market. Consequently, most workers commuted to the site daily. While those workers (primarily non-manual) who re-located t o the project area initially created some pres-sure on the local housing market, early sF rtages have since been relieved through the local market.
- 2. Housing As suggested above, housing availability or supply never materialized as a significant issue in the course of the update. Early in the construction period the local hous-ing market was characterized by some scarcity. This was due largely as a result of the absence of a speculative market and the occurrence of a major natural disaster, Tropical Storm Agnes, which resulted in serious flooding in the Wilkes-Barre area, approximately twenty (20) miles northeast of the project site. Dislocated persons look-ing for housing subsequently spilled over into the Berwick-Bloomsburg area. Since that time the market has respond-ed to this demand and housing is generally available, usually on a contract basis.
- 3. Employment The availability of a large labor supply within commuting i153 168
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distance proved to be both a boon and a loss with respect to local communities in Columbia County. On the one hand,
) communities such as Bloomsburg and Berwick were spared the
+
burden of trying to provide additional community services
__ facilities for new storker populations. On the other hand,
! hopes for significant local employment were disappointed when the majority of workers were hired from the larger
_ labor market beyond the local communities. Although em-
! ployment data indicates little local employment for manual workers, hiring from the local labor force for non-manual positions has increased since 1976.
4 Although local officials registered strong disappointment
- over the minimal amount of local hiring during early con-
! struction phases, recent contacts indicate a greater acceptance of the situation and an understanding that hir-ing practices were largely a reflection of union juris-dictions.
3
- 4. Local Economy, i
~-
As with the employment picture, benefits to local econ-
- omies are not in proportion to the size and cost of the
- SSES. A principal reason for minimal local economic bene-fits was the low levels of SSES employment in the immediate
=
Bloomsburg-Berwick area. Additionally, contracts to ven-
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dors for specialized materials and/or services often went to non-local suppliers because such goods or services were q not available at the local level.
Salem Township, the location of the plant site,will bene-fit from increases in local occupational and, to a lesser j extent, local income tax revenues as a result of high numbers of construction personnel. Following plant con-struction, however, tax revenues associated with the plant are not likely to offset revenues forgone through the loss of tax rateables.
j 5. Community Infrastr*;; re_
7 With the except,- one instance where an additional policeman had 3 be provided for traffic control on a state highway, no unanticipated demerds on schools, hospitals,
- emergency services or related community infrastructure j systems have resulted from SSES construction. In several I153 169
=
_ 5_
cases additional or specialized facilities were required for emergency and health care services. In these cases, PP&L entered into agreements with a local hospital (Ber-wick) as well as local suppliers of ambulance and fire services to meet potential specialized demands caused by plant construction. PP&L also subsidized the cost of additional facilities and specialized training.
- 6. Inflationary Impact It is commonly held in the local communities near the plant site that conatruction activities have had substantial in-flationary impacts on the local economy, particularly in the area of housing. Local businessmen and officials have been unable to provide specific instances or data to sup-port this belief. Data assembled during the course of the update on housing and food costs suggest increases com-parable to other areas of the state similar in the demo-graphic and economic characteristics to the Bloomsburg-Berwick area.
- 7. Public Attitudes Local officials are largely supportive of the construction phase of the plant as well as the subsequent operational phase. There also is agreement on the lack of impact which the plant has had on local communities. Such comments tend to be expressed in combined toras of disappointment and relief; relief that the construction phase has not placed severe demands on the community to provide support ser-vices and disappointment that the niant construction has not yielded greater economic benef cs.
No community frictions have developed as a result of new people moving into the local community. While the number of new employees relocating to the local communities has been relatively small, there remained a potential for com-munity friction arising from the newer or different values or attitudes brought into the community by new personnel.
These problems never materialized to any significant ex-tent.
A concern about recessionary impacts related to completion of SSES construction appears to be growing among certain i155 170
sectors of the business and labor communities in the region. A labor spokesman indicated that union enrollment is likely to shrink upon completion of the project. Fur-thermore, workers at the plant have become accustomed to long-term employment at higher wages which may not be available in the regional job market once the plant is completed.
Table I-l summarizes by impact categories the types of mitigative measures proposed in the 1976 study and their current status.
C. Recommendations Few new issues or problems requiring specific recommendations were raised as a result of this update of the 1976 Community Impact Monitoring Study. Consequently, the recommendations proposed in 1976 which dealt primarily with the physical im-pacts of construction on local communities remain critical to any future construction activities undertakein by PP&L.
Local concerns over possible " recessionary" impacts upon com-pletion of construction activities should be addressed in a post-construction update examining housing surpluses, trends in construction employment and changes in local economic activities. Representatives of local labor unions should be advised of scheduling and extent of reductions in labor force.
I155 !71
Table I-1
SUMMARY
E ACT CATEGORIES and STATUS OF MITIGATION STu.TEGIES Impact Category Propcsal Status Coment
- 1. Roads (traffic control) Provide additional police per- Adopted Measure proposed by subcommittee sonnel for local community of Project Advisory Committees (Shickshinny). PP&L financial support provided.
- 2. Transportation Fom bus pools for com- Adopted Fourteen buses in operation as
- muting workers. a result of "ad hoc" effort by manual work force.
- 3. Housing Conduct housing inventtry No Action Measure proposed in 1976 com-to assess needs of future munity impact reports would plant sites. likely be adopted whenever future generating stations pro-posed.
- 4. Law Enforcement -------
None requirtd, except as indicated in #1 above.
- 5. Health Care Expand out-patient and Adopted Both measures carried out; PP&L emergency care facilities financial support provided.
at local hospital.
Provide facilities and staff Adopted training for treatment of radiation related injuries.
- 6. Make Up Water Construction of reservoir Adopted Reservoir in planning and pre-(low flow augmentation) near plant site. liminary design stages Establish local mitigation / Adopted Pond Hill Reservoir Advisory advisory committee. Committee operational since 1977.
- 7. Schools ------- -----
None required; region experiencing declining enrollments
- 8. Employment Develop stronger program No Action Measure proposed in 1976 community for local hiring impact reports likely to receive strong consideration if future generating stations proposed.
- 9. Construction Impacts Establish project advisory Adopted Ongoing effort.
comittee.
Implement policy to estab-Under Proposed in 1976 study.
lish impact zones affected by Evaluation construction activities (re-lated to standing offer of purchase of homes within impact zone).
Establish requirements for No Action Proposed in 1976 study.
pre- and post-blasting inspections of structures in impact zone.
IC. Emergency Services Establish arrangements for Adopted Arrangements undertaken as part local fire and ambulance of overall Civil Defense planning companies to respond to effort. Staff training supported emergencies during plant by PP&L.
operation.
1155 172
C
_ g_
CHAPTER II SURVEY OF NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES A. Summary of Survey Results In June of 1978, a survey was distributed to Bechtel manage-ment employees at the SSES. The employment level among Bechtel non-manual employees at that time was approximately 591 (see Table II-1). A total of 469 completed surveys were returned, a response rate of over 79 percent.
distinction wts made between those Bechtel employees who are hired locally versus those respondents who were prior Bechtel employees transferred in from other job locations, i.e., non-local employees. The assumption is that non-local employees, as new residents to the area, constitute the major element of community change resulting in community impacts. Consequently, most of the data evaluated deals exclusively with non-local employees. Of the 469 completed surveys, 182 (39 percent) were classified as non-local employees. The remaining responses, 287 (61 percent) were considered local responses.
Table II-l Bechtel Power Corporation Employees Susquehanna Steam Electric Station 1975 and 1978 Total Permanent Bechtel Employees Local Hires 1975 1978 1975 1978 1975 1978
, Manager 62 83 62 80 0 3 Professional 204 306 156 146 48 160 Technical 58 102 10 2 48 100 Clerical 78 100 23 3 55 97 TOTAL 402 591 251 231 151 360 1155 173
On a regional level, Berwick has declined in significance (in terms of residential location) relative to other locations in Columbia and Luzerne Counties. Most Bechtel employees, however, continue to live in the Berwick area, send their children to Berwick schools, and do most of their daily and major shopping in the Berwick area. In 1978, 40 percent (40%)
of Bechtel employees lived in Berwick compared with 54 per-cent (54%) in 1975. Similarly, in 1978, 45 percent (45%) of the respondents resided in the Berwick Area School District, compared with 62 percent (62%) in 1975. In terms of shopping patterns, 39 percent (39%) of the respondents shop for their daily needs in Berwick compared with 54 percent (54%) in 1975.
A similar drop was noted in the major needs category which indicated 28 percent (28%) of the respondents shopped in Ber-wick for major shopping needs compared with 35 percent (35%)
in 1975.
Survey respondents continue to indicate a strong preference for single family detached homes over other types available in the study area. In 1978, 58 percent (58%) indicated a single family home as the type of residences they were currently liv-ing in compared with 50 percent (50%) in 1975. Although this trend of single family housing would suggest a high rate of ownership, the majority of respondents (53%) indicated that they rented.
Data on family size is largely inconclusive. Of 161 persons responding to a question on family size, only 14 percent (14%)
indicated that there were five or more persons in their fam-ily (down from 20% in 1975), a reflection, perhaps, of the national trend towards smaller families.
Primary types of recreation engaged in_ included fishing, swim-ming, golf, tennis and hunting, all generally active types of recreation. Other popular activities included skiing, bowl-ing, parks, camping, hiking and softball. Respondents seemed generally pleased with the availability of recreational re-sources within the study area.
When asked what aspects of the area were liked least and which were liked most, the best-liked aspects included the scenery, small town living, friendly people and availability of recre-ation. Least liked attributes included poor roads, poor traf-fic and parking conditions at the plant site, poor climate and high taxes.
1155 174
B. Area of Residence According to survey results, Berwick still ranks first con-cerning location preference for non-local employees. Table II-2 indicates 1978 distribution of residential choices compared with 1975.
Table II-2 Bechtel Power Corporation Employees (Non-local): Area of Residence No. of Families No. of Families 1975 1978
, No. % No. %
Columbia County Berwick Area 86 54 71 40 Bloomsburg Area 18 11 23 13 Other Columbia Co. 13 8 22 12 Luzerne County Wilkes-Barre Area 6 4 11 6 Other Luzerne Co. 29 19 30 17 Other Counties 6 4 19 12 158 100 176 100 Summary by County 1975 1978 No. % No. %
117
~
Columbia 74 110 63 Luzerne 35 22 47 27 Other 6 4 19 10 TOTAL 158 100 176 100 1155 175
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ggs I - N b~ \ A MONITORING STUDY OF COMMUN!TY IMPACT
- ENTRAllA SHfNANDOAll j q MT. E 'o , Susquehanna Steam Electric Station
- ,. u AggA ciRARD. December 1978
_ VaE i
4 0 3 8 16 24 Miles
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i j O E $ $ ll y [
i SSES REGIONAL MAP
! Ii55 i76 FIG.lH
1 i
l The single discernible trend is the reduction in the number J of families choosing to reside in the Berwick area. Seventy-one (71) families, or 40 percent (40%), live in the immediate site area which includes Salem Township (Luzerne County),
J Berwick Borough and Briar Creek Borough and Township (Columbia County), about 14 percent (14%) lower than the 1975 figures.
E a '
Luzerne County accounted for a greater share of Bechtel fam-
, ilies in 1978 with most of the increases taking place in the 2
l Mountaintop area, a suburban residential community south of Wilkes-Barre. Other counties have also registered gains with
_ most increases evenly distributed among Schuylkill, Northum-berland, Lycoming and Montour Counties.
of han e n res dent 1 dist ib tions Dur ng h p od in which the first community impact study was prepared (1975-1976),
=
1 -
the Berwick Area School District was undergoing certain changes.
Having a number of older schools, the district committed it-self to a building program to create additional classroom space.
( Some local controversy arose around the issue and focused pub-Licity on local schools in the district. Newspaper accounts i suggested that the schgols were responsible for a housing mar-ket lag at that time. Conversations with local realtors sug-
~
- gest that the school system remains a significant locational factor concerning area of residence, despite the fact that the Berwick Area School District has recently completed a new
! middle school to replace space lost through the closing of the older buildings.
1
--j C. Type and Tenure of Residence
- Fifty-eight percent (58%) of those respondents surveyed in j
1978 owned or rented single family housing, compared to 50 percent (50%) in 1975. There were nine percent (9%) fewer
=
respondents who lived in apartment-type housing in 1978. Mo-
] bile home housing increased slightly from eleven percent (11%)
in 1975 to fifteen percent (15%) in 1978. Forty-seven percent 7 (47%) of the respondents owned their housing in 1978, while only thirty-eight percent (38%) owned their homes in 1975.
Table II-3 Lummarizes these data.
i Columbia County Enterprise, "Why Are Home Buyers Saying No
.__ to Berwick?", July 9, 1976.
2 Il55 177
Table II-3 Housing Type and Tenure A. Type of Residence 1975 1978 No. 1 No. %
- 1. Single Family 78 50 99 58
- 2. 46 30 36 21 Apartment
- 3. Mobile Home 17 11 26 15
- 4. Motel / Rooming House 2 1 3 2
- 5. Duplex or Townhouse 13 8 6 4 TOTAL 156 100 170 100 B. Tenure 1975 1978 No. % No. %,
- 1. Own 59 38 81 4.
- 2. Rent 96 62 90 53 I
TOTAL 155 100 171 100 The above suggests little difference in trends between 1975 and 1978 survey results. A rise in ownership suggests great-er availability of housing supply.
D. Family Size Survey data indicates that one and two-person families trans-ferred into the area remained virtually unchanged from 1975 to 1978. The most notable differences occurred in families with three or more persons.
1155 178
Table II-4 Family Size 1975 1978 No. % No. %
Family Size
- l. 1 person 22 15 22 14
- 2. 2 persons 46 32 52 32
- 3. 3 persons 20 14 28 17
- 4. 4 persons 28 19 37 23
- 5. 5 or more persons 30 20 22 14 TOTAL 146 100 161 100 The data suggest no particular significance except that the decrease in the number of larger families (5 or more persons) reflects a national trend towards smaller families.
E. Age of Employees The Bechtsl employees surveyed constitute a relatively young work force with almost fifty percent (50%) of the employees under the age of thirty-five (35).
Table II-5 Age of Employees AGE No. %
Under 25 11 6 25-35 73 41 36-45 33 18 46-60 51 29 60 or More 11 6 TOTAL 179 100 11SS 179
i--
F. Number of Children by Grade Level & School District Of those persons surveyed, about half indicated that they had children. Average family size remained unchanged since 1975, about 2.1 persons per family.
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The percentage of pre-school children from 1975 to 1978 also remained unchanged. Decreases in the percentage of elementary and junior high school children occurred in 1978 when compared to the same grade levels in 1973. At the senior high school level, however, a seven percent (7%) increase was registered.
Table II-6 Number of Children by Grade Level 1975 1978 Grado Level No. % No. %
Pre-school 49 29 54 29 Elementary 67 39 68 37 Junior High School 32 19 27 14 Senior High School 22 13 37 20 TOTAL 170 100 186 100 Overall, there was an eleven percent (11%) increase in the number of children between 1978 and 1975.
In terms of enrollment trends, Table II-7 shows family resi-dence by school district.
Table II-7 Family Residence by School District 1975 1978 School District No. % No. %
Berwick Area 48 62 40 45 Bloomsburg Area 5 6 7 8 Central Columbia 9 12 15 17 Luzerne County Districts 14 18 22 25 Other 2
_. 2 ,4 5 TOTAL 78 100 88 100
Table II-8 illustrates the distribution of children among school districts. Typically, the distribution among school districts reflects trends similar to residential location reported in Table II-2. Most children live within the Berwick School District, with a significant percentage living in the Central Columbia District. Luzerr.e County School Districts account for less than fifteen percent (15%) of children reported.
In 1975, the majority of families with children, sixty-two percent (62%), resided within the Berwick Area School Dis-trict. Three years later, this figure dropped to forty-five percent (45%). The absolute numbers (48 families vs. 40 families) suggest a less dramatic effect on overall enrollment.
Nevertheless, substantial gains were recorded in the Luzerne County and Central Columbia School Districts.
11SS 181
Table II-8 Number of Children by School District and Grade Level 1978 School ni at.ricts Total Pre-S choolers Elementary Jr. Hich Sr. Hich No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
- 1. Berwick 80 43 24 44 26 38 12 44 18 49
- 2. Central Columbia 42 23 10 19 19 28 7 26 11 30 1
- 3. Hazleton (Luzerne Co.) 21 11 7 13 8 12 3 11 -- --
g a
- 4. Bloomsburg 17 9 5 9 3 4 2 8 -- -- 8
- 5. Northwest (Luzerne Co.) 6 3 3 6 3 4 0 --
5 13
- 6. Other 20 11 5 9 9 13 3 11 3 8 TOTAL 186 100 54 100 68 100 27 100 37 100 W
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-N: S~' A MONITORING STUDY OF COMMUNITY IMPACT ENTRALIA / SHENANDOAH j
=
MT. TL'"6 f Susquehanna Steam Electric Station
=Y Ch8M4m ASHj,A GIRARD. December 1978
_ Vat 0
8 4 8 16 24 Miles i D BERWICK AREA CENTRAL COLUMBIA J
3 8 hhk gpg BLOOMSBURG AREA 4
, NORTHEAST AREA 2
- HAZLETON AREA
, (LUZERNE COUNTY PORTION) i j ,
SCHOOL DISTRICTS e
i 1155 183 FIG.11 -2
G. Shopping Patterns The 1978 survey, as did the 1975 effort, attempted to discern spending patterns of non-local Bechtel employees. The shop-ping patterns of new area residents were examined with respect to two types of purchases, daily shopping and shopping for major needs such as furniture, large appliances, etc. Table II-9 records those responses.
Table II-9 Shopping Patterns: Daily and Major Purchases (Respondents could answer more than once.)
Daily Needs __Maior Needs 1975 1978 1975 1978 No. % No. %
Berwick 54 39 3' 28 Bloomsburg 20 26 20 24
' Wilkes-Barre 10 12 23 23 Hazleton 6 9 12 13 Other 10 14 10 12 TOTAL 100 100 100 100 Derwick's role as a local and regional shopping anter, when compared to other areas, has declined. Meanwhile, the shop-ping activity in Bloomsburg, Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton increased.
H. Recreational Activities The primary types of recreation used by families or respondents include fishing, swimming, golf, tennis and hunting. Skiing, bowling, parks, campin9, hiking and softball were engaged in to a lesser extent. Data available from the 1975 survey was i155 i"4
l 1 I not comparable; the informatien preser_ted below is, therefore, for the 1978 survey only.
Table II-10 Recreational Use Type _
No. % Type No. %
A. Fishing 47 14 H. Bowling 16 5 B. Swimming 43 1. 2 I. Parks 12 3 C. Goli 39 11 J. Camping 11 3 D. Tennis 36 10 K. Hiking 8 2 E. IIunting 36 10 L. Softball 6 2 l
F. Skiing 25 7 M. ?MCA 6 2 G. None 25 7 N. Other 39 11 T O T ', L 346 99 I. Hospital Use and Purpose Of the 172 responses recorded, local hospitals have been used by sixty-three percent (63%) of the families, which was ap-proximately the same as the 1975 rate. Two local hospitals are located in the vicinity of the plant site, in Berwick and Bloomsburg; a third facility, Geisinger Medical Center, is located .ienty-five (25) miles to the southwest, in Danville.
The majority of respondents used local hospitals for emergency purposes, although the percentage of those visits from work-related causes is unde' ermined. Chapter VI, Section B, does report on the number of hospital referrals from work-related accidents.
1155 185
Table II-ll Hospital Use and Purpose Ilospital Use Hospital Purpose No. % No. %
A. Yes 109 63 A. Emergency 58 42 B. No 63 37 B. Surgery 38 27 TOTAL 172 100 C. Pregnancy 18 13 D. Check-ups 12 9 E. Tests 9 7 F. Other 3 2
~
TOTAL 138 100 J. Attitude Towards Area of Residence As with the 1975 survey, an attempt was made to gain insight into the attitudes of Bechtel employees concerning the aspects of the area liked most and least by asking open-ended ques-tions. Response rates are reported below:
Ta'.le II-12 Attitude Towards Area of Residence
__ (Respondents could choose more than ona category.)
Aspects Liked Best 1975 1978 1 Scenery 25 17
__ 2. Small Town Life 23 17
- 3. Friendly People 18 21
- 4. Recreation 10 12
- 5. Near Metropolitan Areas 6 5
- 6. Good Schools 4 3
- 7. Shopping 2 4
- 5. Other ll}j jgg 12 21 TOTAL 100 100
" Scenery" and "small town life" have yielded somewhat to
" friendly peopis" and " recreation" as positive community fea-tures. Overall, however, the principal appeal of the Berwick-Bloomsburg area to those surveyed in 1978 is virtually un-changed from 1975, i.e., living in a small town in a rural setting.
The "other" category had a twenty-one percent (21%) response rate which included such responses as " good municipal service",
"provided employment", and " low cost of living". Individually, responses in the other category were generally less than two percent (2%) of total responses.
3 In 1975, " poor shopping", "high cost of living", "high taxes" and " climate" topped the list of undesirable factors associa-ted with local communities (see Table II-13). By 1978, the first two categories diminished in importance while climate and high taxes remained relatively stable. " Poor roads" emerged as a strong negative feature as did " poor traffic and parking conditions at plant site", a factor which was not even recorded in 1975.
Similarly, three additional factors emerged since the 1975 survey which represents potential local issues. These new factors include " resentment to Bechtel", " poor government", and "high utility rates".
Table II-13 Aspects Liked Least (Respondents could choose more than one category.)
1975 1978
- 1. Poor Shopping 17 8
- 2. High Cost of Living 12 3
, 3. Climate 12 14
- 4. High Taxes 11 13
- 5. Poor / Expensive Housing 9 2
- 6. Poor Roads 9 15
- 7. Unfriendly People 8 3
- 8. Lack of Culture Resources 6 4
- 9. Poor Schools 5 2
- 10. Traffic and Parking Conditions --
12 at the Plant Site ll. Resentment to Bechtel __
4
- 12. Poor Government --
3
- 13. High Utility Rates --
3
- 14. Other jl 11 14 TOTAL '. 0 0 100 ..
K. PP&L Survey Pesponses As in 1975, all PP&L employees assigned to the SSES were surveyed in 1978. In 1975, the number of responses, thisty-one (31), was considered statisticalli insignificant. In three years, the size of the PP&L staff increased to ninety (90), eighty (80) of which responded to the survey. While the number of responses is statistically more significant in 1978, the absolute number of employees, in terms of local community impacts, is still low. Table II-14 summarizes 1978 responses.
The terms " local" and "non-local" refer to those PP&L em-ployees who did not have to move in to the plant site area as opposed to those employees hired, or transferred in, from other job locations.
Trends similar to those identified in the Bechtel survey are discernible in responses to the PP&L survey. Since 1975, the Bloomsburg-Berwick area, particularly Berwick, remains the principal area chosen by incoming PP&L personnel. Even those 1978 responses recorded as "Other Luzerne County" (Item No. 4) included many respon ns from the Nescopeck area which is lo-cated directly opposite Berwick across the Susquehanna River.
Another determination of place of residence can be inferred from responses to Item No. 9, School District, which reflects a substantial response rate from the Berwick Area School District.
1155 i88 um-------mm-mm- e.--i-
Table II-14 PP&L Employee Profile
- 1. Total Responses 5. Type of Residence - Nonlocal 1975 1978 Local 1975 1978 13 25 Single Family 12 45 Nonlocal 18 55 Apartment 2 8 Total 31 80 Mobile Home 1 1 Other -
2 1
- 2. Age Distribution Total 17 55 1975 1978 Age # Age # 6. Tenure 20-29 15 Under 25 5 30-39 1975 1978 8 25-35 58 Own 14 40-49 41 3 36-45 13 Rent 50-59 1 14 4 46-60 4 Total 15 55
- 3. Occupation 7. Family size 1975 -
Local Nonlocal 1975 1978 Engineer 5 10 1 Person 3 5 Accountant 2 -
2 Persons Supervisor 1 16 2 4 3 Persons 4 2 Other Management 1 3 4 Persons 6 18 Clerk-Secretary 3 1 5+ Persons 2 8 Total 16 49 1978 Local Nonlocal 8.
Manager Number of Children 2 16 1975 1978 Professional 3 19 Preschool 8 15 Technical 17 19 Elementary 6 20 Clerical 3 1 Jr. High 4 6 Sr. High -
3
- 4. Area of Residence Total 18 44 1975 9. School District Local Nonlocal 1975 1978 Berwick Area 1 5 Berwick 4 23 Columbia Co. 2 6 Bloomsburg -
2 Luzerne Co. 4 4 Central Col.
Other 2 11 6 3 Hazleton -
7 Total 13 18 Northwest -
4 Benton -
4 1978 Luzerne Co. -
3 Local Nonlocal Other 1 1 Berwick Area 1 17 Total 7 Bloomsburg Area 55 1 13 Other Columbia Co. 5 6 Conyngham Boro 1 3 (Luzerne Co.)
Wilkes-Barre 2 1 4 other Luzerne Co. 5 14
}
8 -) b Other 10 1 Total 25 55
25 -
Y
- 10. Shopping Areas (Multiple Response) Aspects Liked Least Daily Purchases 1975 1978 1975 1978 Berwick 10 33 Poor Shopping Facilities 4 19 Bloomsburg 7 24 Poor Schools 3 5 Wilkes-Barre 5 7 Lack of Cultural -
8 Hazleton -
7 Activities Other 2 15 Poor Roads -
5 Total 24 86 Poor / Expensive Housing -
3 Unfriendly People -
3 Major Purchases Other 5 10 Berwick 6 16 Total 12 53 Bloomsburg 8 21 Wilkes-Barre 6 20 llazleton -
13 Other 6 17 Total 26 87
- 11. Recreational Activities (Multiple Response) 1975 1978 Hunting & Fishing 8 43 Swimming 11 18 Tennis 8 17 Skiing (snow) -
12 Camping -
6 Golf -
5 Parks -
4 Other 10 19 None _- 10 Total 37 134
- 12. Hospital Use 1975 1978 Yes 14 24 No 3 13 17 27
- 13. Aspects Liked Best (Multiple Response) 1975 1978 Rural Area /small 11 29 Town Life Eriendly People 3 8 Scenery 3 14 ltvailable Recreation -
6 Other -
11
'.'o ta l 17 68 11S5 190
CHAPTER III BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
POPULATION, EMPLOYMENT AND MANPONER _
A. Populaticn The project region reflects some of the demographic trends occurring in the Northeast U.S.A. as a whole, particularly in population losses. Table III-l records population changes in the site region over a period of thirty-five years:
Table III-l Population Changes of Counties Within 20 Miles of the Site 1
% Cnange 1975 County 1940 1950 1960 1970 1940 to 1970 Estimate
-Luzerne 441,518 392,241 346,972 342,301 -22.5 345,645 Columbia 51,413 53,460 53,489 55,114 7.2 59,288 Sullivan 7,504 6,745 6,751 5,961 -20.6 5,963
-Schuylkill 220,331 200,577 173,084 160,089 -29.9 160,118 Carbon 61,735 57,558 52,889 50,573 -18.1 52,289 Columbia County is the only county to have recorded population increases over a 30-year period, a modest gain of 4,000 persons.
Between 1940 and 1970, the remaining counties recorded signi-ficant population decreases. Recent Bureau of Census projec-tions indicate a reversal of the long-term population decline in these counties. Table III-2 indicates population distribu-tion by area of residence. It also reflects the urban-rural contrast between the two counties closest to the project site, Luzerne and Columbia:
1155 191
Table III-2 Population by Residence For Counties Within 20 Miles of the Site 2 1970 County Urban Rural-Nonfarm Rural-Farm Luzerne 267,510 66,461 2,699 Columbia 23,926 26,170 5,018 Sullivan --
4,691 1,270 S chuylkill 83,133 73,251 3,705 Carbon 32,268 17,564 741 At the municipal level, the project area is characterized by small urban centers in a predominantly rural region.
Table III-3 Selected Local Municinal Populations 3 Distance From 1970 1975 Estimate SSES (Miles)
Columbia County Berwick 12,274 12,253 4.5 Bloomsburg 11,652 12,181 16 Scott Township 3,875 3,765 14 Briar Creek Township 2,150 2,804 9 Luzerne County a Nescopeck 1,897 1,921 5 Shickshinny 1,685 1,590 4 Wilkes-Barre 58,856 57,040 20 Salem Township 3,890 4,397 -
11SS 19?
Although the project site is in Salem Township, Luzerne County, Salem Township's orientation is to the communities of Columbia County, particularly Berwick, a well established re-tail center and the economic focus of the area. Bloomsburg, about sixteen (16) miles southwest of the plant site, approx-imates Berwick's size and is the county seat.
B. Work Force Characteristics 2
An assumption implicit in both the 1976 Community Impact Moni-toring Study and this update is that nost major community im-pacts associated with SSES construction are related, directly or indirectly, to the work force. A6nittedly, the construction of a major facility like SSES can have significant community impacts when the acquisition of local homes results in the dislocation of families. Since land acquisition commenced on the SSES project, approximately thirty (30) homes have been acquired.4 Long-term impacts, however, are more closely re-lated to the interaction of the work force with local communi-ties in such matters as traffic, housing, recreation, utilities (sewer and water), etc.
Before looking at work force characteristics at the project site, it would be helpful to examine the regional labor force characteristics. Table III-4 relates data on labor force size in Luzerne and Columbia Counties.
In the greater Wilkes-Barre /Hazleton area, the size of the civilian labor force had not changed appreciably in the report-ing period. The number of persons unemployed increased signi-ficantly, however, and overall employment actually decreased.
Contract construction, nevertheless, increased by fifty per-cent (50%). Much of that increase is a result of employment at the project site as well as the public and private rehabili-tation carried out in the wake of Tropical Storm Agnes, which caused extensive damage in the Wilkes-Barre area in 1972.
Nor did the Bloomsburg-Berwick area demonstrate much improve-ment in the reporting period. Without < significant increase in the labor force size, the number of unemployed more than doubled. One of the few improvements was in contract construc-tion, which registered a twenty-two percent (22%) gain.
At the project site, the labor force is at its peak with over 4,000 workers employed (July, 197E). As prime contractor for 11S5 193
-- m " m m m m m y - m summer Table III-4
, CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE, EMPLOYMENT AND UNEgPLOYMENT ANNUAL AVERAGE FOR SELECTED YEARS (000's of Workers)
A. Wilkes-Barre - Hazleton ._
% Change 1970 1972 1974 1976 1977 '70 - '77
- 1. Civilian Labor. Force 146.4 149.5 150.5 150.8 '47.4
. .1
- 2. Unemployment 7.9 12.7 9.5 14.5 14.7 86.0
,% Labor Force 5.4 8.5 6.3 9.6 9.9 83.3
- 3. Employment
- 138.5 136.8 141.0 136.3 132.7 -4.1 Non-Agriculture NA 121.3 126.7 123.3 122.1 .6 (1) Manufacturing 52.1 47.9 46.4 40.6 39.3 -25.0 (2) Non-Manufacturing 70.6 73.2 79.9 82.1 82.7 17.1 Contract Construction 5.4 6.5 7.8 8,2 8.1 50.0 1
N B. Berwick - Bloomsburg
- 1
- 1. Civilian Labor Force 24.7 25.6 26.6 26.5 26.0 5.3
- 2. Unemployment 1.4 1.5 2.1 3.2 2.9 107.1
% Labor Force 5.7 5.9 7.9 12.1 11.1 95.0
- 3. Employment 23.3 24.2 24.6 23.4 23.2 Non-Agriculture 20.1 21.4 21.7 20.6 20.9 4.0 (1) Manufacturing 11.2 31.6 10.5 9.1 8.8 -21.4 (2) Non-Manufacturing 8.9 9.7 11.0 11.4 12.1 36.0
-- Contract Construction 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 22.2 t r.
Us ..
.c p
- Data is an estimate of Jobs by place of work and is not directly comparable to labor force data whica estimates workers by place of residence.
the project, the Bechtel Power Corporation employs directly, or through its subcontractors, most of these workers. The labor force can be broken down into two broad categories, manual and non-manual personnel, for evaluation purposes.
Manual workers consist prime.rily of skilled craf tsmen such as carpenters, operating engineers, electricians, ironworkers, etc., but also includss laborers. Non-Manual workers general-ly fall into four categories, including managerial, profes-sional, technical and clerical.
C. Manpower Needs at the Project Site
- 1. Manual Work Force 1973 was the initial year af significant construction ac-
- tivity at the project site. Under the present construc-tion schedule, the first unit will be completed in 1981 and the second in 1982. Within that time frame it is possible to trace past and future manual work force needs at the project site. (See F .ture III-1.)
Table III-5 indicates the average number of manual workers employed in August, 1978. The distribution of workers by occupational category would vary based on the construction phase.
Table III-5 6 Distribution of Manual Employees by Labor Classification Susquehanna Steam Electric Station August, 1978 CLASSIFICATION:(1) WORKERS EMPLOYED (2)
PRIME SUB CONTRACTOR C_ONTRACTORS TOTAL Laborer 521 162 683 Carpenter 294 85 379 Operating Engineer 172 122 294 Electrician 640 34 674 Ironworker 209 58 267 Boilermaker 65 16 81 1155 19'
Pipefgyer Other 885 75 960 268 265 533 TOTAL 3,054 817 3,871 Notes: (1) Include craft labor only, up through and in-cluding General Foreman (2) Average number employed during month (3) Includes all other craft labor The 1976 monitoring study reported that over seventy per-cent (70%) of manual employees commuted from the Wilkes-Barre /Scranton area. Table III-6 reflects little change in those trends. Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties provide almost sixty percent (60%) of the manual work force.
Figure III-2 indicates distance of Pennsylvania counties from the plant site.
D. Non-Mar.ual Employees This classification includes managerial, professional, tech-nical and clerical workers. In 1978, the average number of non-manual personnel employed by Bechtel Power Corporation was expected to reach a peak of 658 employees. Actual and an-ticipated numbers of non-manual. employees are listed in Table III-7 Although significantly smaller in number than the manual work force, non-manual employees have a greater potential to affect some aspects of community infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, emergency services, etc.
Initially, most of the non-manual personnel employed by Bech-tel were transferred in from other Bechtel job locations.
These "non-local" employees would, in most instances, relocate their families to the new job site area, placing additional demands on housing supply and area schools. More >pecific inquiries concerning community impacts associated with manual and non-manual personnel are addressed in Chapters V and VI of this report.
I1SS 196
~
FIGURE III-l MANUAL EMPLOYEES -
~ '
ACTUAL AND PROJECTED SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION 5000._ __
d 5 4000 _
334g O --
t N 2
ou
's s u_ 3000_ _ 's O 2750- h28co Ei \
C 2250 '/ \
~
@ 2000_ _
\
s _
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\
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soo ACTUAL N
PROJECTED 's
._. s 4co w ' 10 0 vi i i r i , ,
^
, , _ ~ ~ ~ die
_. 1973 1974 19'75 1976 1977 19'78 1979 19'8 0 19'81 1982 YEAR PP&L-1978
Table III-67 Residence of Manual Employees by County 1975 and 1978 Number percent County 1975 1978 1975 1978 Luzerne 1122 1402 Lackawanna 59 50 239 243 13 8.6 Columbia 90 160 5 5.7 Schuylkill 77 252 4 9 Northumberland 64 142 3 Lycoming 5 35 110 2 3.9 Monroe 9 33 -
1.1 Dauphin 10 8 - -
Lancaster 10 4 -
Wayne 12 0 - -
Lebanon 11 1 -
Wyoming 38 0 Montour 2 -
3 0 - -
Carbon 7 2 -
Cumberland 5 2 -
Juniata 3 1 - -
Sullivan 5 0 - -
Susquehanna 6 9 - -
Perry 2 0 - -
Pike 1 1 -
Tioga 1 1 - -
Union 2 4 - -
Bradford 2 0 -
Clinton 0 0 -
Snyder 2 5 - -
Philadelphia 2 14 - -
York 0 9 -
Adams 1 0 - -
Bedford 0 0 - -
Berks 4 20 -
Bucks 1 28 -
Crawford 0 0 - -
Lehigh 3 61 -
2.2 Montgomery 1 5 - -
Northampton 1 8 -
Wayne -
0 31 -
Warren 0 0 -
Westmoreland 0 0 - -
Centre 1 1 -
Delaware 1 1 -
Chester 0 1 - -
Other States 118 236 6 8.3 Unknown 8 0 1900 2795 -
1153 198
DISTANCE FROM PLANT SITE (IN MILES) r \ ...........
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Table III-7 8 Non-Manual Employees Actual and Projected (Annual Averaga)
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Year Actual Projected 73 25 74 175 75 350 76 465 77 530 8
658 628 0
472 256 90 0 ,
1155 200
E. PP&L Work Force As construction on the SSES progresses, the size of the PP&L work force which operates the plant will gradually continue to expand beyond its present level of 168. These personnel are primarily involved in training and administrative oper-ations in preparation of an anticipated start-up date in 1981.
At that time, the entire work force required to operate and maintain the plant will consist of 356 persons, including security personnel.
i155 201
Chapter III S2gRqES 1 U .S . Census of Population, 1970 and " Current Population Reports: Population Estimates and Projections", Series P-25, No. 686, May 1977 2 U.S. Census of Population, 1970 3 " Current Population Reports: Population Estimates and Projections", Series P-25, No. 686, May 1977 4 PP&L Real Estate Department, September 1978 5 Bureau of Employment Security, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, unpublished data 6 Bechtel Power Corporation, SSES, March 1978 7 Bechtel Power Corporation, SSES Personnel Department, March 1978 8 Pennsylvania Power & Light Company, SSES Staff, May 1978 I153 202
CIMPTER IV LOCAL VIEWS ON COMMUNITY IMPACTS The community impacts of plant construction as perceived by local residents are as important as information conveyed in quantitative evaluations of employee numbers or move-ments. In the initial 1976 community impact study, interview 3 were important in gauging community attitudes and documenting the most serious local impacts of early construction activities, i.e.,
noise, dust and alleged property damage.
The personal interview technique was also used for this update. A cross section of community officials, businessmen and educators was contacted in the summer and f all of 1978. The tuage and number of interviews were expanded over those conducted in 1975-76. Local viewpoints are categorized according to issues potentially affecting local communities in the plant site area.
A. Housing The 1976 community impact study suggested that plant construc-tion could potentially affect housing costs and supply. The effects on housing were inconclusive, although local opinion indicated plant construction had a significant inflationary impact on local housing costs. On this point, local views seem to have remain unchanged. The director of the Columbia County Planning Commission felt that housing costs had been influenced by PP&L and Bechtel employees, largely because of the nature of the housing market in Columbia County.1 Essen-tially a rural county with a history of slow economic growth, very little speculative building takes place. Houses are built on demand and are relatively modest three-bedroom homes.
The planning director suggested that Bechtel and PP&L employ-ces transferred into the region from other job locations were perhaps used to more " customized housing", offering greater diversity in architectural styles, amenities, size, etc.
Generally higher incomes (than those paid in Columbia County) allowed project employees to build more expensive homes. He further suggested that the average cost of a new home was in the i1S5 203
39 -
" upper 30's" (exclusive of land costs) and that Bechtel per-sonnel were building homes considerably in excess of that cost.*
With the exception of the above effects on housing, the Colum-bia County Planning Commission staff saw little impact on planning concerns raised by SSES construction.
Local realtors provided additional views on the local housing market. A local Bloomsburg realtor suggested that housing costs in the Bloomsburg area have " doubled" since 1970, with a typical split level home costing $60,000 (exclusive of land costs)2 While acknowledging rising housing costs, the real-tor was uncertain how much of the increases were associated with plant construction. He did note, however, that certain portions of Columbia County began to develop a significant second home market in the early 1970's which was curtailed following the OPEC oil embargo and subsequent gasoline price rises.
The subsequent drop off in second home construction was more noticeable than inflationary impacts on the market associated with project construction. The realtor also confirmed that speculativa ..:-sing is not strong in the Bloomsburg area which, he believed, was because of the absence of local bank support.
A local Berwick realtor stated that although housing demand had been dropping off in the Berwick area since 1972, SSES construction ham resulted in increased inflationary impacts on the local market 3 A major reason, he believed, for re-duced housing activity was the proliferation of regulatory controls which discouraged local development.
B. Local Economy / Employment The 1976 report indicated local concern over the relative ab-sence of employment opportunities in Columbia County. And al-though the report indicates substantial boosts to the local economy, local opinion suggests that construction of the plant has done little to improve economic conditions. A Salem Town-ship supervisor reflected that only two small restaurants had
- Chapter V Local Economic Impacts, examines rises in market value and assessed value for residential properties since 1973 in the project area.
11SS 204
opened along Route 11 in Salem Township.4 Similarly, a vice president of a Berwick bank also observed that plant constguc-tion had not appreciably increased retail trade in Berwick .
The reason for the absence of retail trade, according to the Columbia County Economic Development Coordinator 6 , is clearly associated with the movement of workers to and from the plant site. Economic benefits to local communities are commensurate to levels of local employment, which, in the case of Columbia County, are small. Local programs to improve the economy, such as those of the Bloomsburg Industrial Development Author-ity, had greater effect on the local economy than SSES con-struction.
This view was supported by the Mayor of Berwick who noted that a number of older established businesses had closed their doors since 1970, i only hotel and a major fur-niture store.gcluding the town's Some local fast food stores may be benefiting, he claimed, but there is no significant improvement in retail trade.
The project's lack of impact on local employment was also noted and apparently accepted by local persons. Berwick's Mayor acknowledged that, while the project offered opportun-ities for employment at higher wages than local markets, the number of tradespeople employed from the Berwick-Bloomsburg area seemed small. He recognized that the jurisdictions of local unions had an effect on local hiring practices.*
As pointed out in the 1976 study, the SSES site is located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Northeast Pennsylvania Building and Trades Council, which includes the major labor market areas in Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties. Consequently, most manual employees at the project site reside in the Wilkes-Barre /Scranton area.
Only one craft union, Masons and Bricklayers, has juris-diction within Columbia County. During the initial period of project construction in the early seventies, expecta-tions were high that the plant would have a strong, posi-tive effect on local employment. Strong disappointment was registered when these expectations were not met.
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, C. Educational Facilities Construction of the SSES has not required local school dis-tricts to expand their physical plants, largely as a result of two factors: (1) the proximity of a labor market suffi-cient to supply most manpcwer requirements, and (2) a history of declining school enrollments in Columbia County.
According to recent projections (see Chapter VI, Table VI-1),
all school districts in Columbia County will face continuing enrollment declines, at least until 19838 Among the affected school districts, Berwick faces a projected drop in enrollment of 528 students, over twelve percent (12%) of current enroll-ment. Although he believes the projections of the Pennsyl-vania Economy League to be high by over 100 students, the Berwick Area School District Superintendent nevertheless feels the location of the SSES in his district may exacerbate enroll-ment losses 9 Berwick Area School District currently enrolls more children of Bechtel employees than any other school dis-trict in Columbia County. The district is likely to lose most of these students as Bechtel personnel move onto new joD lo-r stons as the SSES project nears completion. Some of these losses might be replaced as PP&L operational staff move into the area, but the district suffers from an adverse image rising from a building program controversy. While the controversy seems to have resolved itself with the recent completion of a federally funded junior high school, a July 1976 news article commented on the effect of the school district's problems on the housing market:
Bob Ager, with Sweeney and Lukens Real Estate, also noted that people are steering clear of buying ir the Berwick area. "Seven out of ten people want Central or Benton," he said.
" People just don't realize the effect that the school system has. Even though the problems may not be as bad as some people think, new people coming into the area hear the repor':s about the schools and don't want to move to Lerwick. The people who do move into Berwick are generally older couples who don't have children anyhow."10 The Berwick superintendent also expressed a concern that new-comers to Columbia would choose not to live in the Berwick area because of its proximity to a nuclear plant. He further 1155 206
indicated that the land cwned by PP&L for the proyact and re-lated uses, over 1,000 acres in Salem Township, preempts future residential uses. The loss of this land for residential de-velopment could make it more difficult to stabilize declining enrollments.
D. General Community Impacts With a few exceptions, SSES construction has avoided any of the " boom town" syndromes experienced with some large energy-related projects in other parts of the country. Local officials in Salem Township (location of the plant site) and the adjoin-ing communities of Shickshinny and Berwick have stated that no physical facilities had to be expanded or rehabilitated as a result of SSES construction. The Borough of Shickshinny, a small community four miles northeast of the plant site, has re-cently undergone extensive surface and subsurface improvements to streets, water and sewer systems, sidewalks, curbs and re-lated site improvements. All of these improvements, however, were conducted as part of a disaster renewal effort to repair the damages of Tropical Storm Agnes in 1972.11 Shickshinny found it necessary to supplement its one-man police force to control traffic flows at two intersections in the town's conter. Traffic volumes at peak hour caused traffic control problems in the Borough as well as hampering egress a-cross a bridge which served an adjoining small community across the Susquehanna River.
Although no mass transit systems serve the project site, an ad hoc system was developed among construction personnel, per-haps in response to some of the traffic conditions referred to above. By September of 1978, fourteen (14) buses were de-livering workers to the plant site from seven (7) communities.
These " bus pools" were arranged and coordinated by groups of individual workers.12 Despite the increase in traffic near the site and the concen-trations of vehicles at the site, state police in the project area report no arrests have been made at the site. An increase in the total nutiber of calls since 1972 within their service area has occurred, but no increases could be related to plant construction.13 Many of the local administrators and officials indicated that the absence of impacts on community infrastructure or facil-1155 207
43 -
ities was because few people associated with the plant moved into the area. As a result, frictions and community tensions which of ten de 'olop when " outsiders" move into a community, did not devel locally to any significant degree.
In April of 1978, a Bloomsburg peper printed a letter apparent-ly written by wives of several Bechtel employees. The letter complained of price gouging, housing discrimination and other harassment. A Berwick newspaper cubsequently editorialized on the complaint and expressed the hope that such incidents were isolated. In a later interview, the editor of the Berwick Enterprise indicated that incidents of the type described in the letter probably occurred but that hostility or discrimin-ation against anyone associated with the SSES was not a wide-spread problem. The employees associated with the project have been accepted into the community in much the same way the community has accepted the physical presence of the plant.14 The editor of the Berwick Enterprise, as well as several local realtors and school officials, expressed concern over the pos-sibility of certain recessionary impacts following comoletion of the SSES project. According to opinions expressed, high salaries paid to Bechtel employees afforded them opportunities to construct homes having a value greater than most houses offered by the local market. Once Bechtel employees move to new job locations, the local housing market will not provide sufficient buyers for what is considered to be more expensive housing. Similarly, the completion of project construction will significantly affect employment and earnings in the con-struction trades, according to a local labor union efficial.15 Since 1972, the ranks of the local unions have grown in Luzerne and Lackawannz counties. Much of that groath is attributed to the SSES cons;ruction. He expressed a belief that residential construction would be able to pick up some of the released labor force. assuming the " layoffs were orderly." Even with growth la lesidential construction, expected decreases in union memberships following completion of SSES construction.
He further indicacad that one major effect would likely be a change in income once the plant had closed. Many of the work-ers at the plant from the Luzerne-Lackawanna Counties, he sug-gasted, had become accustomed to high wages and long-term em-ployment. He characterized employment in the Luzerne County area as "short-term residential construction" of a type which will materially reduce worker income.
1iSS 208
CHAPTER IV S 2 E R_ q E_ S 1
Personal interview with Mr. Robert Beishline, Director, Columbia Cojnty Planning Commission and Staff Planner, Mr. Gary Hildebrandt, June 8, 1978.
2 Personal interview with Mr. John Robison, Robison Agency, 4
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, June 16, 1978.
3 Personal interview with Mr. Ron Kilo, J. D. Kile Realtors, Berwick, Pennsylvania, June 16, 1978.
4 Personal interview with Mr. Clyde Bowers, Salem Township, Supervisor, August 11, 1978.
Personal interview with Mr. Leroy Burdis, Vice President, First Eastern Bank, August 11, 1978.
6 Personal interview with Mr. Stephan Philips, Columbia County Economic Development Coordinator, September 28, 1978.
7 Personal interview with Mr. Louis Biacchi, Mayor, Berwick, Pennsylvania, August 11, 1978.
8
" Columbia County Public School Enrollment Trends and Pro-jactions", Pennsylvania Economy League, May 1978.
9 Personal interview with Mr. Lee Cook, Superintendent, 3erwick Area School District, October 5, 1978.
Columbia County Sentinel, "Why Are Home Buyers Saying
'No' to Berwick", July 9, 1976.
11 Personal interview with Mr. Donald Hargraves, Mayor, Shickshinny, Pennsylvania, August 11, 1978.
12 Mr. Al Clarke, Bechtel Power Corporation Personnel Depart-ment, SSES site, September 1978.
13 Personal interview with Sargent Tony Matson, Pennsylvania State Police, ShickshinrJJ Barracks, August 11, 1978.
14 Bloomsburg Morning Press, April 15, 1978; Berwick Enterprise, April 15, 1978; personal interview with Mr. J. W. Smith, Editor, Berwick Enterprise, October 5, 1978.
1155 20"
J 15 Phone conversation with Mr. Charles DcPolo, Secretary-Treasurer, Northeast Pennsylvania Building & Trades Coun-cil, Plains, Pennsylvania, September 13, 1978.
-J 1155 210
CHAPTER V LOCAL ECONOMIC IMPACTS A. Wage Distribution Direct economic impacts can be gauged by the amount of money entering communities in the form of wages and salaries. The 1976 report projected a distribution of total wages for the life of the construction period as follows:
Table V-1 Proiected Distribution of Total Wages: 1973-82 1 Non-Manual County Manual Emplovees % Employees %
Luzerne $168 Million 60 $15 Million 23 Columbia 14 Million 5 44 Million 68 Lackawanna 36 Millien 13 ---- --
Other 62 Million 22 6 Million 9
$280 Million 100 $65 Million 100 Estimated distribution of first quarter wages (1978) and salaries are reported in Table V-2:
Table V-2 Distribution of Total Wages: 1st Quarter 19782 Non-Manual County Manual Employees % Employees %
Luzerne $ 7.45 Million 50 $ .75 Million 28 Columbia .89 Million 6 1.68 Million 63 Lackawanna 1.34 Million 9 .05 Million 2 Other 5.21 Million 35 .19 Million 7
$14.89 Million 100 $2.67 Million 100 11SS 2i1
Actual distribution of wages closely approximated projected estimates except the "Other" categories, which are somewhat higher than originally projected. Most of the increase over projected wages resulted from higher manual employment from Schuylkill and Northumberland Counties.
Wages paid to plant personnel return to local communities and represent a direct economic benefit in the form of local pur-chases, particularly when evaluated in terms of a " multiplier effect" stimulated by wages spent by plant employees. The multiplier effect assumes that local merchants will, in turn, spend a portion of wages received for purchase of local goods and services and that the cycle will continue with decreasing impacts. The 1976 community impact report estimated an ad-ditional multiplier expenditure in Luzerne County of $366 Mil-lion and $87 Million in Columbia County through 1982.
B. Purchase of Goods and Services The local economy has benefited from purchase of goods and services from local vendors, but not to the extent of other locations outside of the project region. Table V-3 indicates purchases for selected years by county:
Table V-3 Expenditures With Local Vendors ($000)3 Luzerne Columbia Lackawanna Other Pa.
1974 $ 2,269 $ 555 $ 643 $ 4,269 1975 1,128 308 448 3,083 1976 (UNAVAILABLE) 1977 137 592 126 5,992 As indicated in Table V-3, local counties have not compared favorably with the remainder of the state in terms of contract volume. Local contracts tended to be for conventional con-struction materials and erection of facilities for construction and administrative buildings. Larger volume contracts for specialized construction materials or engineering services were generally placed in the Pittsburgh or Philadelphia areas where they were more readily available.
11SS 2i2
w
, C. Local Taxes 1 Real Estate Tax Rates Table V-4 indicates that combined real estate tax rates increased between 1975 and 1978 in all municipalities, ex-cept Scott Township in Columbia County, a trnnd reflected in both Columbia and Luzerne Counties. Rate changes ranged from a drop of 1.5 mills in the municipal rate of Scott Township to an increase of 22 mills in the Blooms-burg School District.
It is unlikely that construction of the SSES significantly influenced tax rate changes in the municipalities listed in Table V-4, owing primarily to the relatively small num-ber of construction personnel taking up residence in the project area.
It is also interesting to note that although most rate increases were levied by school districts, school enroll-ments in both Luzerne and Columbia Counties have been declining since 1969-70 and are expected to continue to do so for at least the next five years.5
- 2. Tax Impacts: Salem Township Because of existing local and state tax structures, Salem Township is likely to experience the greatest tax impact associated with SSES construction. In addition to the real estate tax rates reported in Table V-4, Salem Township levies the following nonproperty taxes:
Table V-5 Salem Township Nonproperty Taxes 6 Municipal School
- 1. Per Capita $ 5.00 $10.00
- 2. Earned Income '2% 9%
- 3. Occupational Privilege $ 5.00 $ 5.00
- 4. Real Estate Transfer 4% h%
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- - summer - === ===== - - =mmer ====
Table V-4 Real Property Tax Rates, 1975 and 1978 4 Tax Rate - Millage 1975 1978 Change Municipality SD* Municipality SD Municipality SD Berwick 12.0 47.0 12.0 55.0 ---
8.0 Briar Creek Borough 6.0 47.0 6.0 55.0 ---
8.0 Briar Creek Township 5.0 47.0 5.0 55.0 ---
8.0 Salem Township 1.5 47.0 1.5 52.3 ---
5.3 Hollenback Township 5.0 47.0 5.0 52.3 ---
5.3 i North Centre Township 3.0 66.0 3.0 77.0 ---
11,0 e South Centre Township 2.0 66.0 3.0 77.0 1.0 11.0 ScotL Township 6.5 66.0 5.0 77.0 (1.5) 11.0 Bloomsburg 15.0 52.0 15.0 77.0 ---
22.0
_ Conyngham Township 2.0 J1.0 2.0 71.0 ---
20.0 g Columbia County 12.5 15.0 2.5 Gr .
Luzerne County 16.2 18.0 1.8 TU b
- SD - School District
It should also be noted that under the provisions of the Public Utility Realty Tax Act (PURTA), local taxing jurisdictions are preempted from directly collecting taxes on utility facilities. Instead, taxes are collected by the state and reapportioned to local governments based on a procedure established under the legislation. Presumably, the intent of the legislation is to prevent individual communities from reaping "ercessive" tax revenues from large util ty facilities.
Using available data, it is possible to examine Salem Township's tax revenue situation with and without the SSES from 1973 to 1978.
Of the taxes listed in Table V-5, the most significant revenue producer for Salem Township is likely to be the v acupational privilege tax. This tax is levied at a flat rate upon persons employed in a taxing jurisdiction. The tax is limited to $10.00 on individual taxpayers. When overlapping taxing jurisdictions levy rates which, in combination, exceed the $1n.00 statutory maximum, their combined rates are automatically reduced to $10.00. To a lesser extent, Salem Township will benefit from its local income tax as well as from revenues received through PURTA.
Based on five years of construction, estimated tax revenues to Salem Township associated with SSES construction are as follows:
Table V-6 Estimated Tax Revenues
- to Salem Township SSES Construction 1973-78
- 1. Occupational Privilege Tax (2,615 average $130,750 annual work force x $10.00 x 5 years)
- 2. Earned Income Ta< (Estimate) 10,650
- 3. PURTA Revenues 7,282
$148,682
- Does not include transfer tax revenues to Salem Township resul-ting from sale of 10 percent (10%) interest in SSES to Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc.
1155 215
r The impact of these revenues is diminished, however, by the loss of rateable property (over 500 acres) pursuant to PbRTA provisions. Based on current (1978) millage rates, annual property taxes (local and school district) would amount to approximately $4,100 (or, $20,500 over a five-year period) on that property no longer subject to local taxation.
Consequently, Salem Township has benefited during the construction period to date by over $120,000 in tax reve-nues beyond that which would have been collected via local property taxes without plant construction. Similar bene-fits could be anticipated through 1982-83. Following plant construction, however, revenues from the occupational privilege tax and local income tax will be reduced sig-nificantly and will be offset only to the extent that plan _ operational staff move into Salem Township. Once the construction phase is completed, it is questionable whether revenues fram the three sources in Table V-6 would replace foregone property tax revenues.
D. Local Economic Impacts
- 1. Housing Costs Discussions with local realtors and area residents sug-gest a common belief that SSES construction has had a significant inflationary impact on housing costs on the plant si&e area. The 1976 report addressed this issue, but no conclusions were reached.
While some effort was made in 1978 to obtain past and pres-ent housing cost data from local realtors, more comprehen-sive data was obtained from the State Tax Equalization Board (STEB) . This agency develops school subsidy formulae for apportioning state fun (s to school districts. STEB compiles annually the total market value, i.e., sales price, of all residential transactions in each county of the state based on deeds filed with the county assessor. A ratio of assessed value to market value for each municipality is used by STEB as part of their subsidy formula.
These ratios are useful for measuring changes in housing i155 216
costs in individual communities. In addition to being current and updated annually, the STEB methodology com-pensates for differences in assessment and millage rates so that individual communities can be compared. Table V-7 below illustrates changes in the assessment / market value ratios for selected communities in the plant site area during the period from 1973 to 1977. The table also lists information for several communities similar in demographic and economic conditions to the Bloomsburg-Berwick area yet sAfficiently removed from the site to minimize the plant's influence on the local economy. These " test communities" are Milton, Sunbury and Selinsgrove and are located ap-proximately forty-five (45) miles southwes' of the plant site; they had 1970 populations of 7,225, 13,025 and 5,100 respectively.
Table V-7 Ratio of Assessed Value to Market Value Residential Properties 8 1973-1977
% Change Community 1973 1974 1975 l_976 1977 1973-1977 Bloomsburg .171 147 .141 .134 .117 32 Berwick 169 .153 .135 .139 .128 24 South Centre Twp. 176 .153 .136 .140 .120 32 (Columbia Co.)
Milton 186 138 .148 .138 .125 33 Sunbury .206 .176 .153 .145 136 34 Selinsgrove ----
.189 .150 .152 139 26 The ratio of assessed value to market value declined in all communities during the five-year period, indicating 1155 2i7
greater increases in market value relative to assessed value. The percentage change in the last column indicates the overall rate at which market value increased relative to assessed value. For those communities within the plant site area, Berwick demonstrated the least appreciation in market value. This generally agrees with the local per-ception that property rose in value at a greater rate in outlying areas. It is notable, however, that appreciation in market value was slightly greater in communities re-moved from the project area. None of the " test communi-ties" exhibited an economic growth nor major construction projects which would have influenced housing costs. Con-sequently, it would appear that the increased housing costs in the vicinity of the plant were not significantly different from similar communities in the region.
- 2. Food Costs Food costs were examined both in project area communities and in communities outside of the project area. The re-sults of a market basket comparison conducted during the summer of 1978 are presented in Table V-8.
I153 218 w
um mens -is-
Table V-8 MARKET BASKET COMPARISON FOR SELECTED COMMUNITIES AUGUST, 1978 Shopoing List Lewisburg Milton Berwick Blcomsburg 1 Cucumbers - each one $ .10 $ .10 $ .10 $ .10
- 2. Potatoes - 10 lbs. 1.49 1.49
- 3. Sharp Cheese - 1 lb.
1.49 1.49 2.19 2.18 2.05 2.38
- 4. Corn - five (5) for: .59 .59 .59 .59
- 5. Bananaa - 1 lb.
6.
.20 .33 .33 .33 Bread - 1 loaf .39 .38 .39 .33
- 7. Haddock - 1 lb. 1.69
- 8. Eggs - 1 Medium Dozen 1.69 1.69 1.69
.77 .77 .77 .77
- 9. Chicken Breasts - 1 lb. 1.09 1.09 1.09 1.09
- 10. Detergent - 1 Giant Size Tide 1.63 11.
1.63 1.63 1.39 T-Bone Steak - 1 lb. 2.89 2.89 2.89 2.89
- 12. Ground Beef - 1 lb. 1.25
- 13. Hot Dogs - 12 Pack 1.29 1.25 1,49 1.49 1.49 1.19 1.19
- 14. Bologna - 12 oz. 1.34
- 15. 1.39 1.29 1.39 Tomatoes - 1 lb. .79 .79
- 16. .79 .79 Lettuce - each head .69 .69
- 17. .59 .69 Bacon - 1 lb. 1.49 1.59
- 18. Apples - 1 lb. 1.59 1.49
.89 .89 .89
- 19. Oranges - five (5) for: .99
.89
- 20. .99 .75 .99 Soda - two (2) 28-oz. Bottles .69 .69 .69 .69
$ 22.65 $ 22.95 $ 22.05 $ 22.66 The total market basket price for all communities is com-parable, with only $ .90 separating the highest and lowest totals.
The community closest to the plant site, Berwick, recorded the lowest market basket total. While the re-suits of a single comparison are inconclusive relative to long-term trends, #t is significant that food costs for the above items were nc ' significantly different between com-munities.
1153 219
CHAPTER V EEEEEEE 1
Pennsylvania Power & Light Company, "SSES: A Monitoring Study of Community Impact", 1976, Page 42, 2 Bechtel Power Corporation, SSES Personnel Department, May 1978.
3 Bechtel Power Corporation, SSES Personnel Department, May 1978.
4 Pennsylvania Economy League, Central Division, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, August 1978.
5 Pennsylvania Economy League, Central Division, " Tax Rates and Property Valuations - Part II", August 1978, Page 2.
6 Pennsylvania Economy League, Central Division, " Tax Rates and Property Valuations - Part II", August 1978, No Page.
7 Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Bureau of Corporation Taxes, October 1978.
O Personal Communications with Mr. Paul Weiss, Pennsylvania State Tax Equalization Board, October 2, 1978.
11S5 220
CHAPTER VI COMMUNITY FACILITIES A. School Enrollment Surveys of non-manual personnel for both Bechtel and PP&L employees reveal that the majority live within school districts in Columbia County (See CHAPTER II) . The number of children associated with the SSES work force enrolled in local school districts has not had the effect of burdening classroom space or crowding facilities. According to recent data prepared by the Pennsylvania Economy League, total enrollments in Columbia County have declined by 633 or 4.7 percent since 1969-1970.
Three of the county's six districts, Berwick Area, Bloomsburg Area and Southern Columbia Area, had fewer students in 1976-1977 than in 1969-1970. The League's projections further reveal that enrollments will decline by 1,317 students, 10.2 percent, between school years 1976-1977 and 1982-1983 and that all dis-tricts will experience decreases.1 Table VI-l indicates the enrollment trends as well as projec-tions based on research of the Pennsylvania Economy League.
Despite ongoing and projected decreases in school enrollments, total public school expenditures in the county increased by
$7.1 Million, or 70.4 percent, between 1969-1970 and 1975-1976 while the cost of educating each pupil increased by $550 or 73.5 percent. All districts recorded increases.2 liSS 221
Table VI-1 3 COLUMBIA COUNTY Public School Enrollment Trends and Projections Projected School % % Change District 1969-70 1973-74 1976-77 Change 1982-83 1977-83 Benton Area 972 960 1,019 4.8 1,004 -1 Berwick Area 4,682 4,567 4,293 - 8.3 3,765 -12.3 Bloomsburg Area 2,866 2,505 2,364 -17.5 1,805 -23.6
, Central Columbia 2,363 2,506 2,530 7.1 2,458 - 2.8
-Millville Area 1,028 1,144 1,145 11.4 1,098 - 4.1
-Southern Columbia Area 1,690 1,651 1,617 - 4.3 1,516 - 6.2 TOTAL 13,601 13,333 12,968 - 4.7 11,651 -10.2 For the most part, increases appear to be a result of oper-ational expenses rather than capital expenditures. Of the six school districts in Columbia County, Bloomsburg Area, Milville Area and Benton Area School Districts have had no new con-struction within the past ten (10) years. Berwick Area has recently completed a new junior high school which was prin-cipally funded by the U. 3. Economic Development Administration.
Central Columbia and Southern Area School Districts have re-cently completed new middle and elementary schools respective-ly. None of these exn3nsions appear to have had any relation-ship to expanded requirements arising from SSES work force families.
B. Hospital Facilities Primary health care for the construction workers is provided by a full-time staff of registered nurses at the SSES site.
Emergency cases requiring further treatment are referred to local hospitals. Most cases are treated at the Berwick Hos-pital while those requiring specialized treatment are sent to Geisinger Medical Center located twenty (20) miles west in Danville. Table VI-2 indicates referrals of SSES accident cases to local hospitals:
11SS 222
Table VI-2 4 Hospital Referrals of SSES Accident Caser 1974-1978 1974 1975 1976 1977 '978 Number of Cases Referred: 197 199 305 270 203 (thru Sept.)
The increased out-patient load at the Berwick Hospital was al-so affected by PP&L job applicants (operational staff) who are referred to the Berwick Hospital for physical examinations up-on placement.
According to administrative staff at the Berwick Hospital, the SSES referred accident cases and physical examination referrals have affected out-patient facilities and services at that institution. Since 1976, two additional staff nurses have been added for out-patient care; a cardiac treatment and test center has been established; and an audio-metric facility (hearing examinations) has been installed requiring the train-ing of an additional staff person. Cardiac test facilities and audio testing facilities had been established, in part, as a response to the larger number of physical examinations re-quired for plant employment. Hospital staff pointed out, how-ever, that the increased demand for out-patient services r?-
sulting from SSES construction were anticipated and were incor-porated into a hospital development program initiated in the early 1970's. The recently completed program, financially supported by PP&L, resulted in both an expansion of hospital facilities and services to the community.D An additional new facility developed specifically for the SSES is a special emergency room for the treatment of radiation related injuries. The room, constructed to PP&L specifications, is completed although it has not been used for radiation re-lated injuries since no nuclear fuels are presently at the SSES site. The construction of the room as well as the train-ing of specialized staff was subsidized by PP&L.
I1$5 223
59 -
C. Water Supply (Make-Up)
A source of river water supply will be required to replace water consumed L the operation of the Susquehanna SES during low-flow periods. L'e Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) regulates uses of the river as well as development affecting its tribu-taries. In September, 1976, the SRBC adopted a regulation re-quiring all new water users to provide enough standby water supply to replace river water consumed during periods of low flow.
PP&L has been identifying and assessing sources of potential water supply. Publically and privately owned existing reservoirs and reservoirs under construction have been considerea an a potential source of water supply. Based on review of the~e possibilities the preferred approach to meeting the SRBC require-ment is to purchase water from the Cowanesque Reservoir, a Corps of Engineers (COE) project under construction in Tioga Co., Pa.
and scheduled for completion in 1980. PP&L Nas forwarded a formal request to the COE to ourchase seasonal storage in the Cowanesque Reservoir. The SRBC has suggested that a study be made of all potential Cowanesque water supply uses, the effect of these uses on authorized project functions, and a determina-tion of necessary re-authorizations. The COE estimates the study will take a minimum of 2 years to complete from the date of obtaining funds, which are not anticipated before early 1979.
In order to have an assured source of water, PP&L is preparing an application tc construct its own water supply reservoir.
The reservoir site, known as Pond Hill, was selected based on technical and environmental consideration from among several identified by PP&L and its consultant.
The proposed Pond Hill Reservoir site is a drainage basin of an unnamed tributary of the Susquehanna River near Pond Hial in Conyngham Totnship, Luzerne County. The site is located in an undeveloped wooded valley. All housing and ongoing agri-cultural activity occur above maximum water level. Land acquisition will involve approximately 1,200 acres although the surface area of the impounded water will be approximately 315 acres.
The impacts and design of the proposed reservoir are presently being studied. An environmental report and feasibility report are being prepared and are expected to be submitted to appro-priate agencies in 1979. The planning effort has been aided by the establishment of public participation consisting of an advisory committee formed in the fall of 1977, the Pond Hill Reservoir Advisory Committee (PHRAC). The committee consists of 17 persons from eight communities in the area.
To date, this local committee has reviewed past studies, re-ceived presentations on technical and environmental aspects of construction and operation of the reservoir, and visited the Susquehanna SES station as well as che Pond Hill Reservoir" site.
D. Public Safety
- 1. Police Force
}l } 4
w Because of the small size of adjacent communities and the rural character of the project area, municipal police forces, where they exist, tend to be small - Berwick has a force of twelve (12) officers and Shickshinny has a force of one (1) police officer. Salem Township has no standing police force although a state police barracks, located on Route ll, has a staff of eighteen (18). (By contrast, the size of the security forces at the SSES is presently fifty-six (56). When the SSES becomes operational, a permanent on-site security force of seventy-seven (77) persons will be established.) Only one instance has been identified where the plant con-struction has resulted in a need to increase personnel. As described in Chapter II, most of the work force orig-inates f rom the Wilkes-Barre /Scranton area and commutes to the plant site on U. S. Route ll, resulting in substantial peak hour flows. Route 11 changes from a three-lane highway to a two-lane local street in Shickshinny. At peak-hour traffic volumes, the effects in Shickshinny have resulted in considerable congestion. In some instances, traffic flows have ignored local traffic lights in an effort to proceed through town. Motorists crossing the Route 239 bridge from Mocanaqua (op-posite Shickshinny) have reportedly been unable to egress onto Route 11 from the bridge during rush hours (See Figure II-1). Community leaders solicited PP&L's help in resolving the problem. A part-time policeman was added to the force in the summer of 1978, the cost of which is underwritten by PP&L. While the additional patrolman has alleviated con-ditions somewhat, significant relief from traffic conditions will be experienced only with a reduction in work force as the SSES nears completion. In other police matters, state police records indicate an increase in the number of arrests in the region since 1972 (See Table VI-4) . The region includes eight (8) townships in Columbia and Luzerne Counties. Local state police officials have indicated that the over-all increase in the number of calls cannot be related to 1155 225
u SSES construction. The increase in the number of criminal arrests have occurred in residential areas and are follow-ing a national trend. State police have also reported no arrests on site during the construction period to date. Table VI-46 Total Annual Arrests fennsylvania State Police Berwick Barracks 1972-1978 (To June) Type of Arrest 19/2 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978
- 1. Criminal 69 131 164 180 2 0 162 56
- 2. Traffic 1,348 1,358 1,589 1,795 1,614 1,531 814
- 2. Emergency Services Fire and emergency ambulance service in the plant area are provided through private, voluntary organizations, not as a service of local government. In the site vicinity, i these organizations include --
- a. Shickshinny Area Volunteer Ambulance Association
- b. Pont Hill-Lily Lake Fire Company (Ambulance Service)
- c. Salem Township Fire Company, No. 1
- d. East Berwick Hose Company, No. 2 No special arrangements have been made with these organ-izations for their services during the construction phase of the project. During plant operation, the nature of an emergency could require responses from the above organ-izations to augment on-site response groups and facilities.
Arrangements have been made with the above organizations to provide support upon notification by the SSES Emergency Director.7 11S5 226
CHAPTER VI E9EEEEE 1 Pennsylvania Economy League, " Columbia County School m Enrollment Trends and Projections", May 1978, Pages 2 to 4. 2 Pennsylvania Economy League, " Columbia County School Enrollment Trends and Projections", May 1978, Page 1. 3 Compiled from data of the Pennsylvania Economy League. 4 Bechtel Safety Enforcement Of ficer, SSES, October 1978. 5 Personal Conversation with Mr. Robert Robbins, Assistant Administrator, Eerwick Hospital. 6 Sgt. Anthony Matson, Pennsylvania State Police, Shick-shinny Barracks, August 1978. 7 Pennsylvania Power & Light Company, "Susquehanna Steam Electric Emergency Plan", Volume 1, Page 5-4. I1S3 227
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