PRINTER'S NO. 4824
No. 897 Session of 2006
INTRODUCED BY PETRONE, RAMALEY, BEBKO-JONES, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, COSTA, DALEY, DeLUCA, FLAHERTY, GERGELY, GRUCELA, JAMES, JOSEPHS, KOTIK, LEDERER, MELIO, MUSTIO, PALLONE, PISTELLA, PRESTON, READSHAW, SAINATO, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, THOMAS, WALKO, WHEATLEY AND YOUNGBLOOD, OCTOBER 18, 2006
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, OCTOBER 18, 2006
A RESOLUTION 1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct an 2 in-depth investigation into the landslide in Kilbuck 3 Township, Allegheny County, including a thorough review of 4 the applicable State and local permit and approval processes; 5 and requiring a report. 6 WHEREAS, On September 19, 2006, a massive landslide occurred 7 at the commercial construction project at the Kilbuck 8 Properties, L.P. site in Kilbuck Township, Allegheny County; and 9 WHEREAS, Between 500,000 and 600,000 cubic yards of earth and 10 stone from the site cascaded down onto the four-lane 11 Pennsylvania State Route 65, a vital roadway for 22,000 vehicles 12 a day, and three Norfolk Southern Railways tracks, a major 13 commercial rail link between Chicago and New York City, which 14 carry close to 100 trains a day, forcing their closure; and 15 WHEREAS, The closure of these major transportation arteries 16 completely disrupted the lives of thousands of people daily and 17 negatively impacted the quality of life of the residents and the 18 economy of Allegheny County and a large portion of southwestern
1 Pennsylvania, resulting in untold costs for cleanup, wages, 2 damages and lost revenue; and 3 WHEREAS, Officials of the Allegheny County Office of Economic 4 Development cautioned Kilbuck Township officials prior to the 5 incident that the site, formerly the location of the Dixmont 6 State Hospital, was well-known to be prone to landslides; and 7 WHEREAS, Local residents expressed numerous concerns about 8 the safety and viability of the proposed construction project at 9 that site; and 10 WHEREAS, Permits or approvals, or both, for the project were 11 ultimately granted by the Department of Environmental 12 Protection, the Department of Transportation and Kilbuck 13 Township, and the project commenced; therefore be it 14 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint 15 State Government Commission to conduct an in-depth investigation 16 into the landslide in Kilbuck Township, Allegheny County, 17 including a thorough review of the applicable State and local 18 permit and approval processes; and be it further 19 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission be 20 authorized to create a task force and an advisory committee to 21 assist the task force in this undertaking; and be it further 22 RESOLVED, That additional assistance in this endeavor be 23 provided by the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution 24 Control and Conservation Committee; and be it further 25 RESOLVED, That the task force be authorized to hold public 26 hearings, take testimony and conduct any site visits; and be it 27 further 28 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission compile 29 a report based on the findings and recommendations of the task 30 force and submit the report to the House of Representatives as 20060H0897R4824 - 2 -
1 soon as possible but no later than one year following the 2 adoption of this resolution. J16L82DMS/20060H0897R4824 - 3 -