Years of Development Before Today's Load Growth
A Project History Rooted in Water Recovery and Pumped Storage
Old Forge was developed as a pumped-storage and environmental-recovery initiative before current Pennsylvania data-center demand became a major market subject. The chronology makes that record visible without overstating what any study, meeting, or filing accomplished.
Timeline entries are verified against the Bechtel registry and native records. Proposed or scheduled events are not shown as completed without attendance or issuance evidence.
The Record Before Data-Center Market Interest
The Record Before Data-Center Market Interest
Regional mine-water and watershed studies created a technical record long before REA's project. REA later advanced the Old Forge Borehole and pumped-storage concept through federal filings, Tetra Tech mine-pool and treatment work, site visits, engineering, field investigation, environmental work, equipment analysis, interconnection study, and agency consultation.
Later evaluations of data centers, microgrids, or other large loads belong at the point they arose in the chronology. They do not replace the project's earlier purpose or redefine FERC Project No. P-15411.
Documented Events in the Project Record
Key Historical Events
The following entries identify the event date, purpose, participating organizations, and supporting records.
Multi-Stakeholder Old Forge Site Visit
A documented site visit was conducted at the Old Forge Borehole. Representatives and participants associated with the project record included organizations such as the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, Tetra Tech, EPCAMR, the Lackawanna River Conservation Association (Bernie McGurl), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Black & Veatch, Ames Construction, Voith Hydro, and project representatives, along with other governmental, environmental, engineering, and stakeholder participants reflected in the project record.
Source: Project attendance records, photographs, and correspondence
Congressional Old Forge Borehole Event
U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright hosted a public event at the Old Forge Borehole concerning Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding and abandoned-mine-land reclamation. The public invitation identified Representative Cartwright, Bobby Hughes, R. John Dawes, Bob Durkin, and Lindsay Griffin as speakers. The Mayor of Duryea Borough attended the event in person. REA's principal personally attended. Contemporaneous news coverage reported on the Borehole, federal reclamation funding, and REA's proposed treatment and energy initiative.
Source: Public event invitation; contemporaneous news coverage
On-Site Stakeholder Meeting
REA organized a site visit and technical meeting addressing the Old Forge Borehole, proposed lower-reservoir area, pumped-storage engineering, equipment, water treatment, abandoned-mine reclamation, environmental matters, and regional infrastructure. The meeting record included an Old Forge Borehole briefing, site activities, and lower-reservoir discussion and visit. The agenda and correspondence identify participation or planned participation by representatives associated with Tetra Tech, PADEP and the Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, the Lackawanna River Conservation Association, Voith Hydro, Kleinschmidt Associates, congressional representation, and project representatives, along with other stakeholders identified in the project record.
Source: Meeting agenda and correspondence
Milestone Groups
Development Milestones by Category
Borehole and watershed record
Regional mining, groundwater, abandoned-mine-drainage, and river-restoration sources
Federal project record
Declaration of Intention, jurisdictional record, preliminary permit, NOI, PAD, and public filings
Technical development
Mine-pool review, water-treatment work, geotechnical program, preliminary design, equipment and control work
Environmental work
Wetland and stream field work, habitat review, cultural resources, stormwater, and permit planning
Public and agency engagement
Site visits, pre-application meetings, SRBC and PADEP consultation, watershed interviews, and public comments
Commercial and grid work
PJM and PPL studies, schedules, risk reviews, data-room diligence, and utility/offtaker strategy
How to Read the Timeline
How to Read the Timeline
"Completed" means the identified meeting, test, report, drawing, filing, or other work product occurred or was issued. It does not mean FERC or another agency approved the project, a third party endorsed it, an environmental question is closed, or construction may begin.
Where the project record identifies an event but the exact date, title, attendee list, or native file is not yet confirmed, the timeline states that verification is required.
Corrections and Additions
Corrections and Additions
REA invites former project participants, municipalities, agencies, watershed organizations, consultants, equipment suppliers, and community members to identify omitted records or factual corrections. Submitted materials will be checked against project files before the public timeline is changed.