Wyoming Valley Levee overseer awaiting Luzerne County American Rescue funding

Exactly one year ago today, Luzerne County Council approved an earmark of up to $8 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding to the county flood protection authority, which oversees the Wyoming Valley Levee along the Susquehanna River.

However, authority board members said Tuesday they are becoming increasingly concerned that the authority has not yet received any funding, particularly because the proposed agreement they negotiated with the county to complete all work was set to start Jan. 1 this year.

All American Rescue funding must be spent by the end of 2026, but authority representatives say some of their projects will take time because levee-related work requires extensive government review and permitting.

While the authority temporarily absorbed the cost of some projects as it awaits reimbursement, other work cannot be initiated until the authority is certain the American Rescue funding will arrive, board members said during their monthly meeting.

Authority Executive Director Christopher Belleman told the board he has completed all paperwork requested by the county and its American Rescue consultant, Booth Management Consulting, and has not received any negative feedback about the authority’s project plans.

Belleman said he sent an email Tuesday morning to the county’s American Rescue team seeking a status report on the funding and was informed he will receive a response within two business days.

County Acting Manager Brian Swetz said Tuesday the administration is working with Booth on releasing funds for American Rescue awards that had been approved by council before it voted to retain Booth Management last June.

For example, council also had voted a year ago to allocate $2 million toward the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority’s construction and maintenance of a rain garden and stream bank restoration in exchange for an agreement the county won’t have to pay a stormwater fee until it uses up a $2 million fee credit.

Swetz said the flood authority, WVSA and other prior approved allocations should not be held up as council figures out how to proceed with a separate $60 million American Rescue earmark for other outside entities.

While the county law office has reviewed the proposed funding agreements with both the flood and sanitary authorities, a determination still must be made on whether the agreements have to be signed by county council or the acting manager, Swetz said.

Swetz expressed confidence the funds will be released soon, although he could not provide a specific date.

“It is on the radar to be addressed sooner rather than later,” Swetz said.

The flood authority’s projects include repairs to levee pump stations and stormwater relief wells.

Stretching 16 miles, the levee system includes 78 drainage structures, 128 relief wells, 13 pump stations with 39 deep-well pumps and an electrical distribution system consisting of eight substations, 27 transformers and miles of underground and aerial transmission lines, authority representatives have said.

Relief wells resemble metal trash cans above ground and act as valves to relieve water pressure that could compromise the levee. An authority contractor recently inspected and tested the wells, and Belleman said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reviewing the results to determine which warrant repair or replacement.

Another planned project would replace expansion joints on the levee wall in Wilkes-Barre, similar to a past project on the wall in Forty Fort, Belleman said. Joints filled with sealant were necessary to allow the concrete to expand and contract and prevent cracks.

The American Rescue funding also would be used as reimbursement for the authority’s replacement of a stormwater culvert adjacent to the levee in Kingston, Belleman said. A decades-old pipe installed to collect runoff from the Pierce Street Bridge had deteriorated to the point that stormwater started getting into the levee, he said.

Among other expenditures on the authority’s lengthy list are projects addressing levee closure structures and keeping the levee certified for flood insurance purposes.

On Tuesday, the board approved a $223,700, low-bid contract with Dalton, Pennsylvania-based D&M Construction Unlimited Inc. to complete roof repairs at two levee storage buildings and masonry/roof repairs at seven pump stations. This is one of the projects slated for American Rescue funding.

In Tuesday’s reorganization, the authority board welcomed new member James Delaney. Board members kept the same officers for 2023: Dominic Yannuzzi, chairman; William Hardwick, vice chairman; Gordon Dussinger, treasurer; and John Maday, secretary. Delaney will serve as assistant secretary/treasurer.