Does Pawlowski Have Courage

Last week Ed Pawlowski gave the Wildlands Conservancy permission to remove the scenic dam in Lehigh Parkway. Earlier that week I explained to the Park and Recreation Committee that Wildlands, despite their slick presentation and parade of experts, was ignoring the 800 pound gorilla in the proposal to remove the dam. While the Wildlands was spouting cookie cutter platitudes about dam removal improving water quality, they were ignoring the over flowing sewer pipe that runs along side the creek. They were ignoring an overriding problem affecting the Little Lehigh, so that they could utilize a grant and demolish the historic dam. Today, the Morning Call ran a feature story about the sewage problem. The EPA had given Allentown and the LCA until 2014 to correct the sewage affecting the creek. If the Wildlands demolishes the dam we will lose the beauty, sound and magic it provides to Lehigh Parkway, but still have a major water quality issue from the sewage. Does Pawlowski have the courage to reverse himself and save a treasure in the park?

photocredit:molovinsky