To Rutter's:

We respectfully request that you choose another site for your planned gas station and store in Smithfield township, Huntingdon county, PA. The site you have chosen is adjacent to and uphill from Old Crow Wetland, a highly popular wildlife viewing area. No matter how rigorous you are in building and maintaining a store on that delicate location, the impacts will harm the wetland ecosystem.

• Old Crow is a high quality wetland that is home to a rich variety of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, insects, and plants. Groups from local schools and from an environmental center regularly visit Old Crow. As the best birding spot in Huntingdon county, and part of the Susquehanna Birding and Wildlife Trail, it is highly valued by birders from across Pennsylvania and beyond.
• According to your construction plans, stormwater flow from the store would be directed to the wetland. Runoff from the large impervious surfaces of the gas station would flow downhill and result in thermal, particulate, and chemical pollution of the wetland.
• Any leak of fuel from the underground tanks would be disastrous for the wetland. 
• Drinking water sourced from stream adjacent to the wetland could be contaminated.
• In addition to contamination from runoff, wildlife would be harmed by increased light (detrimental to nocturnal insects and migrating birds), noise, and litter. 
• Old Crow Wetland is a bank wetland that has been used by PennDOT projects in the region as offset mitigation. If Old Crow were degraded, the credits it provides to other projects would be invalidated.

We wish to preserve this gem of natural beauty and habitat, a place which has value beyond monetary measures. We would be grateful if you would take this opportunity to demonstrate environmental stewardship and responsiveness to our community by choosing a different location for your store.

Sincerely

Coalition to Save Old Crow Wetland