October 22, 2001

The supporters of destroying Brush Valley have been very active in recent days in their attempts to sway public opinion. The majority county commissioners, local chamber of commerce, certain politicians, (as well as some political hopefuls), have taken on a role that more resembles snake oil salesmen than elected representatives and community leaders. This tightly knit group pours forth exaggerated and misleading claims of how filling Brush Valley with prisons will transform our area to some economic Mecca and provide such great benefits for all our people. They litter our roadsides with lame posters proclaiming an almost divine "opportunity" that will surely shine down on us. They insult us with nonsensical, poorly drawn cartoons about strange people who love prisons and fear nature. Worst of all they attack and discredit anyone who exercises their God given, and Constitutionally guaranteed, right to form an opinion and speak their mind.

The Brush Valley Preservation Association (BVPA) has found even more information showing just how false and misleading the Brush Valley destroyers' claims really are. Following are a few of the more notable examples:

• The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has reluctantly given to the BVPA copies of the speaker sign-in sheets from the first BOP scooping meeting held in Shamokin in May 2000. These sheets show the names of the most die-hard prison supporters written in, by what seems to have been the same one or two people, so that they could speak first. Further down the sheets many of these same names appear again, only to have been crossed out. Apparently they inadvertently signed again in their own handwriting, not knowing, or forgetting, that they had already been pre-signed by someone else. Also, the page numbers of the sheets were tampered with. By insuring that only prison supporters could speak first, while the media and many citizens were present to hear their well scripted, yet nauseating propaganda, the illusion was formed that the people of our area overwhelmingly approved . Remember that according to the BOP these meetings are held to determine the opinion of the CITIZNS, not just as a pep rally put on by prison supporters. It seems that altering the speaking list, along with strategically released news stories, may have been part of a scheme by prison supporters to create the false perception that a prison in Brush Valley is a "done deal", which of course, it is not. Click here to view samples of these sign in sheets.
• BVPA has learned that the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, unlike our ineffectual, local chamber, is OPPOSED to this type of prison project because of the Unicor facilities that use prison labor to produce products that must be purchased by Federal agencies, there by reducing the chance of private companies securing contracts. Also, there may be as high as 70,000 inmates actually employed by big business as what basically amounts to slave labor. I wonder how our local labor leaders can justify supporting a system that can in reality ADD to unemployment.
• After studying the environmental report published by the BOP it is clear that the only intent was to build in Brush Valley all along. The omissions, deficiencies, and obvious prejudice in favor of destroying Brush Valley that is contained in this document leave little doubt that the BOP gave no real thought as to the horrific environmental damage they would do by building in Brush Valley, nor did they show any serious consideration of alternate sites, especially Natalie East. BVPA has brought this to the attention of several high- ranking government officials and organizations who now agree that Brush Valley should be preserved, and will be weighing in on the final decision.
• In humorous statements made by our two majority county commissioners they imply that they are actually environmentalists and concerned about preserving some of Brush Valley. They talk about how razor wire, asphalt, concrete, and high intensity lighting can peacefully coexist with nature, and how this beautiful blend of man made and natural spectacles will be enjoyed by our people. As wonderful as this all sounds, we question just how environmentally minded Mr. Cwalina and Mr. Lewis really are. Currently, they are seeking the help of lawmakers in Harrisburg to lift the conservation easements from two pieces of county owned land so they can be sold for any purpose, including development. These lands were purchased with "act 70" funding which stipulates they be kept in their natural state. It appears that in an attempt to relieve the County's ever growing debt, the Commissioners are willing to ignore the environment if it means getting what they want, just as they are doing with Brush Valley.

The above paragraphs detail just a few of the many problems BVPA has found with the proposed building of prisons in Brush Valley. BVPA has submitted over 200 comments to the BOP dealing with their flawed environmental study. They are required by law to address all of these. Our environmental and legal people will then scrutinize them, but all of our contacts feel the BOP will not be able to adequately justify the plan to build in Brush Valley. This process is far from over. Indeed, our best opportunity to save Brush Valley is still ahead.

We are being told to sacrifice much for what will benefit only a few. Needed employment is always a concern, but only a handful of our local people will realize this gain, and a shorter commute or a few months work closer to home for some other people does not justify the loss of Brush Valley. With the tremendous draw backs and few real benefits building prisons in Brush Valley would bring, we must question why our local political and business leaders are investing such effort in promoting it, while at the same time doing apparently so little else for our struggling community.

BVPA would like all our people to remember that no matter who owns Brush Valley now, it is OUR money that is proposed to buy it and it will be OUR elected government that may destroy it. A project of this scope will affect everyone in the county for years to come. We must make educated decisions based on the needs of everyone. Our economic, social, and environmental future is at stake. To say we have no power in this situation is ludicrous. We have this power. We can either use it, or continue to let someone tell us what is good for us, whether or not it really is.

John R. Faraguna President/BVPA