Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Proposed Transfer of Property at the State Correctional Institution at Rockview

Q: Why is the Commonwealth interested in transferring the land?

A: The construction of Route 220/I-99 has isolated the tract from the rest of the Rockview property and has created a significant land management barrier. Currently, the land is not being managed in an environmentally friendly way and access to the public for hiking, hunting, or fishing is prohibited. One hundred and thirty five acres of the property have already been transferred to the Centre County Industrial Development Corporation. A detailed map of the parcels can be found on the Clearwater Conservancy Web site.

Q: What will Penn State do with the land?

A: Penn State needs continued access to high-quality, contiguous agricultural and forest lands for the College of Agricultural Sciences' educational, research, and extension missions and faces limited opportunities for further land acquisitions in the area. This area shares a property line with existing college lands, which will allow the property to serve the Commonwealth through programs in agricultural, environmental, and bioenergy areas as well as provide environmental stewardship and recreational opportunities. These college programs help address Pennsylvania's priorities such as developing and applying technologies to produce and process alternative fuel sources in a manner that is environmentally and economically sustainable under Pennsylvania conditions as well as issues around food quality, quantity, and safety. This land will also provide a valuable management model of multiple agricultural and forest land uses coordinated to preserve open land and watersheds in an urbanizing environment—a challenge faced by communities throughout Pennsylvania.

Q: How will the land, including the Spring Creek Canyon, be protected?

A: The transfer is conditional upon legally binding conservations easements (monitored by ClearWater Conservancy and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) consistent with a master land management plan that will provide for public input (http://www.canyonplanning.com). Violation of these agreements will result in the land reverting back to the state.

In addition, Penn State is unique in its expertise in natural resource management. The University brings to the table experts in water and air quality, wildlife, forestry, invasive species, the environment, and a wide range of partnerships and audiences forming a visionary partnership around the future of the Spring Creek Valley corridor.

Penn State is engaged in conversations with the ClearWater Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, and Western Pennsylvania Conservancy around a vision to have the University emerge as a national leader in environmental stewardship and restoration. The conservancies' proposal states: "Through a diversity of demonstration projects at the site, it will be possible to show the region that ecologically sensitive sites can be protected and restored while allowing for some level of appropriate and compatible uses. A powerful partnership between the Conservancies and Penn State will collaborate to demonstrate the cross-cutting interest in supporting Penn State's leadership in an array of emerging conservation techniques."

Q: How will local interests be protected?

A: The level of local input provided under this scenario is somewhat unprecedented in that it is the only proposal to provide for conservation easements managed by a local conservancy, formal opportunity for public input into a master plan, and ownership by entities with a vested interest in the local community.

Q: What happens if the land is used for purposes not compatible with the conservation easements?

A: The pending legislation notes that if the property is not managed according to the purposes stated in the deed and the conservation easements, the property will revert back to the state.

Q: These are state lands to be managed for "the benefit of all the people." How are broader public interests protected, and why is this the best compromise?

A: In addition to environmental stewardship, which is guaranteed by the master plan and conservation easements, Penn State provides value beyond the property boundaries with its conservation, teaching, research, and outreach efforts, which are strongly supported statewide by agriculture and conservation groups. The college also works closely with the Commonwealth in addressing Pennsylvania priorities such as research on bioenergy, water and air quality, pest management, wildlife management, and organic farming, which affect and have the potential to benefit all citizens of Pennsylvania. Penn State and Benner Township will also provide for recreational opportunities, including hunting, fishing, and hiking, as determined under the master plan. No other ownership model provides for such diverse, yet compatible, interests to be served or for such partnerships.

Q: What is the current status of the legislation?

A: After numerous public meetings, legislation was recently introduced that would transfer the property, which includes the sale of 1,124 acres to Penn State for more than $1 million. In June the state house of representatives voted 185 to 13 in favor of the proposal, reflecting the widespread support for the bill. The proposal has been sent to the state senate for consideration. To date, more than 2,800 messages from supporters of this proposal have been sent to the house of representatives, reflecting strong public support throughout much of the state and in the Centre Region.

Q: What happens to the land if this transfer does not take place?

A: Transferring any of this land requires an act of the legislature. The divestment option proposed by Rep. Michael Hanna has been studied for years and is intended to maximize statewide and local benefit. There are no other options currently being considered by the legislature. If this effort fails, the state will maintain ownership and the land will indefinitely remain off-limits to recreational and hunting uses.

Q: How does this property compare to the Circleville property Penn State currently owns?

A: The Circleville property consists of 155 acres as part of a fee-simple land purchase by Penn State for use by the College of Agricultural Sciences. At the time of purchase, the property was rural farmland suitable for the college's agricultural educational, research, and extension missions. As the State College area has developed, the Circleville property has evolved into an island surrounded by developed properties, which has made efficient and effective use of the property difficult for the college and has raised safety concerns around moving farm equipment in the area.