Dam idea blocks progress on Valley’s viable projects

U.S. REP. PAUL Kanjorski’s inflatable dam proposal seems destined to fade like last week’s birthday balloon, fizzling ever-so-slowly with a gentle “hiss.”

Too bad, because this flawed plan should have burst years ago with a fast, ear-splitting “pop!”

The Democratic Congressman from Nanticoke floated his concept for creating a seasonal lake in the Susquehanna River almost 20 years ago. At the time, its construction cost was estimated at about $14 million.

Today the price for putting a retractable barrier across the river near Wilkes-Barre probably would be close to $25 million, nearly half of which would be paid by county taxpayers, say detractors. That doesn’t include the ongoing expense for yearly maintenance.

Critics lampooned the idea from the get-go. They cautioned that the dam – intended to hold back water for recreational pursuits such as Jet Skiing and boating – might act as a catch basin, concentrating feces and other foul materials in the slow-moving pool.

Environmentalists warned that trying to harness nature rarely works in predictable ways. Anglers argued the dam might harm certain fish species, including shad. Other people said it would be detrimental to birds.

To his credit, the 24-year legislator has championed the river’s cleanup through the years, most recently securing $20 million to prevent sewer line spillage. But, unfortunately, he hasn’t wavered on making a rubber, air-filled dam the capstone to his legacy levee project.

Although it might appear that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers drove a harpoon into the dam’s viability with its denial of a permit last week, an appeal is possible. The county’s five-person Flood Protection Authority is mulling its options.

Kanjorski and the county’s authority members should finally heed the public’s call and send the dam idea to a watery grave.

Then, the Washington, D.C., lawmaker can refocus his ample energy and government expertise on helping to complete projects that his Wyoming Valley constituents have embraced – projects that they support with their volunteer time and money.

• A regional science center. This proposed hands-on museum, which some area residents began working on more than a decade ago, could help prepare children for high-tech careers and be a tourist destination for day-trippers.

• The Osterhout Free Library. Wilkes-Barre’s public library lacks sufficient space to hold its educational programs, and its aging building (a former church) needs extensive repairs.

• Large-scale restoration/preservation projects in the vein of Kanjorski’s successful Stegmaier Brewery facelift. Among the possibilities: Ashley’s Huber Breaker and Wilkes-Barre sites including the Irem Temple and the former Central Railroad of New Jersey station (also known as the Market Street Square complex).

Putting federal muscle – and money – behind those or any of dozens of other equally deserving projects … now that’s an idea that could turn the tide of public opinion.

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