» Conservation District Adds Next AmeriCorps Member

Conservation District Adds Next AmeriCorps Member

Alex Veto of Somerset will be working with the Armstrong Conservation District for at least the next year on environmental issues and preventing acid mine drainage.

By Jonathan Weaver

Local environmental groups that work with the Armstrong Conservation District might notice a new volunteer during the next year.

Alex Veto of Somerset began a few weeks ago as the new AmeriCorps member in the Armsdale Administration Building office.

The 24-year-old Shippensburg University graduate applied last month for one year minimum service through AmeriCorps.

“I like it - You can see the work that’s done. You can see the environmental impact,” Veto said.

“I went on the AmeriCorps website and saw a list of all the conservation districts, set up an interview for here with an interview with (District Manager) Dave Rupert. I sent him a ‘thank you’ letter and he gave me a call and said ‘You don’t need to worry about the other places.’ So I took the position,” Veto said.

His first day was August 21.

A 2013 graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Geo-environmental Studies, Veto originally hoped to work on gas fields – since at the time, his home region was filled with strip mine operations.

Plus his father, Ben, worked for then-PBS Coal of Somerset Township. (PBS Coal was bought from Canadian company Corsa Coal Corp. last month.)

“What I really want to do was sub-surface infrastructure. There are a couple ways to look under ground, and basically, I wanted to use different geophysical methods to analyze and produce an image or a structure and tell them where to drill for water or oil,” Veto said.

The conservation district only deals with the adverse effects, such as acid mine drainage, if is impeding on a stream.

Veto is still exploring the many projects the conservation district covers, but just completed a project to establish a cross-vane along Cravener Hollow in Rayburn and Cowanshannock Township since the tributary – Spra Run - was cutting into Cowanshannock Creek, affecting the bank and threatening the structural integrity of a private bridge for seven residents on the other side.

“It would have eventually eroded and just taken all of this land mass away,” Veto said. “So, we were just out-and-about on the different streams analyzing the vanes and seeing the structural development of how it changes the stream over time. For awhile, I’ll be overseeing that project and recording data for acid mine drainage.”

The residents on the other side of the bridge originally brought up the potential problem to conservation specialists.

Through a GenOn grant, T. Peters Construction contractors added limestone backfill as a benefit to the local residents and fish population. High stream events also turned it into a large mudslide, so Veto said this spring will be a big test for the vane after snow thaws.

A hands-on learner, Veto currently commutes from Irwin (Westmoreland County) as he looks for housing in the county.

Watershed Specialist David Beale said Veto is very enthusiastic so far.

Armstrong Conservation District Agricultural Technician/Nutrient Management Specialist Jessica Schaub and Dirt and Gravel Specialist Gregg Smith were also past AmeriCorps members and now work within the conservation district.

Previous AmeriCorps Chelsea Walker of Apollo was in Armstrong for two years and is now Watershed Technician at the Westmoreland Conservation District – headquartered in Greensburg.

Local News | jweaver September 9, 2014