Pa. agency denies drawing water from popular fishing stream
SOMERSET, Pa. (AP) — State environmental regulators have denied a permit to a company that wanted to bottle water from a popular fishing stream in southwestern Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection says the request by Cooper Springs Trout Hatchery of Jefferson Township, Somerset County to draw 108,000 gallons of water a day would damage the Laurel Hill Creek watershed.
The watershed includes Shafer Run, which the DEP classifies as a “high quality cold water fishery” that flows into the Youghiogheny River.
A hatchery official says its unclear if the business will appeal the ruling.
The DEP says drawing that much water would diminish the creek’s flow by 40 percent. The creek also is used for canoeing and swimming.