RAYSTOWN LAKE, Penn. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invites the surrounding communities to participate in open house meetings Nov. 3 and 4 to learn more about the draft Raystown Lake Master Plan.
“The public continues to be an integral part of this revision process,” said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District Commander, Col. John Litz. “This is a perfect opportunity for members of the community to directly engage with our project team members to best understand the content of this draft Master Plan.”
The open house session will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3 and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 4 in the Raystown Lake Visitors Center Multipurpose Room, 6993 Seven Points Road, Hesston, Pennsylvania.
The public is invited to attend the open house at any time during these hours to interact with the project team, ask questions and learn more about the draft plan.
The project team will also provide an informal Master Plan highlights session each day to feature highlights of the plan with the public. Sunday’s highlight sessions will occur at 1 p.m. and again at 3 p.m. Monday’s highlight sessions will occur at 9 a.m. and again at 11 a.m.
All materials presented at the open house will be available on the project webpage at http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Raystown-Master-Plan-Revision/.
The draft Master Plan is available on the project website and is available in physical form in the following community libraries:
Huntingdon Public Library, 330 Penn Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652
Saxton Community Library, 315 Front Street, Saxton, PA 16678
Official comments on the draft Master Plan will be accepted until Dec. 7, 2019, and can be sent digitally through the project website, to RaystownMPrevision@usace.army.mil or via mail to the following address:
Raystown Lake Office Attn: Raystown Lake Draft Master Plan
6145 Seven Points Road
Hesston, PA 16647.
All updates regarding the Master Plan revision, meeting information and ways to submit comments or questions may be found on the following site: http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Raystown-Master-Plan-Revision/.
About the Raystown Lake Master Plan Revision
The Raystown Lake Master Plan serves as the land-use document that guides the comprehensive management and development of all recreational, natural and cultural resources throughout the life of the lake. A Master Plan serves as the lake’s guide for future recreation activities, development, preservation and cultural resources.
Master Plans have no set timeframe for revisions, but they are developed to have an effective lifespan of 15 to 25 years. The current Master Plan for Raystown Lake dates back to 1994. Legislation contained in the 2016 Water Infrastructure Improvement for the Nation Act (WIIN), Section 1309, required the Master Plan for Raystown Lake be updated. The revision is also a part of a larger, Corps-wide effort to bring master plans up to date across the country.
The primary goals of the Raystown Lake Master Plan revision are to prescribe an overall land-use management plan, resource objectives, and associated design and management concepts for the Raystown Lake Project.
The Master Plan revision will not change the technical operations of the lake as related to its primary missions of flood risk management and hydropower. It also does not appropriate money to any improvements or developments discussed in a final master plan, but effectively portrays where projects could be authorized if funding or a strategic partnership were to become available for implementation.
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