Although the generators, shower tents, and Porta-potties supplied our utility needs again this past summer, we are anxious to have normal utilities. The progress seems to be at a snails pace, but we are making some progress. On August 3, our engineers submitted the new application to the PA DEP to bring utilities on the property. The new application avoids virtually 100% of the wetlands. Our engineers only foresee two very minor issues that could even be questioned. They feel cautiously confident that the DEP will be pleased with our extraordinary efforts to avoid the wetlands and will approve our application. From the time that the DEP received the application, they have 60 days to give us an answer. 

In addition to the utilities application, our engineers have also submitted the Breech Analysis for the lake. In the documentation, they made a strong case for giving our lake a LOW hazard classification. For many months, we have heard that we may have a HIGH hazard classification. The DEP required our engineers to show the water levels for several miles downstream if the lake would break wide open on a day that it had already rained over 20 inches in the last 24 hours. With those levels of water there were several buildings that would have been impacted by the water. Upon farther study, our engineers determined that all of the buildings affected by the water would have already been impacted by the rain even if the lake did not breach. Based upon that information and some other flow studies, our engineers showed the lake as a mute issue and recommended that is be given a LOW hazard classification. A LOW hazard would be a huge blessing for us. There are significantly less regulatory issues for a low hazard lake than a MEDIUM or HIGH hazard lake. 

Please pray with us about these two issues.