East Deer backs efforts of Allegheny River lock funding group

An Armstrong County nonprofit that lobbies for recreational boating along the Allegheny River officially has the support from a community that already has gleaned some of those benefits.

The East Deer commissioners on Tuesday approved a resolution of support for the Allegheny River Development Corp., a grassroots organization that works with the Army Corps of Engineers to keep four locks in Armstrong County open for recreational boaters and channel navigation.

The ARDC provides money to pay the Army Corps to operate the locks on weekends because cuts in federal funding leave the Corps unable to staff those locks without outside help. Barge traffic on the Allegheny River has decreased over the years, and the Corps does not consider recreational boating when determining the level of service at its locks.

“They’re lobbying and fighting for funding for the purpose of maintaining and improving the locks on the Allegheny River,” said Tony Taliani, president of the East Deer commissioners. “I completely support their efforts.

“It’s not something that we have to commit to financially — they’re seeking federal money and so forth. I think those locks are vital due to the ongoing development and the economy of dealing with the river.”

ARDC’s annual goal is to raise more than $175,000 for the four locks to operate. It partially funds the locks near Freeport and in Natrona.

In the future, the organization anticipates needing to help pay to keep Lock 3 in Plum’s Barking neighborhood and Lock 2 in Highland Park open to recreational boaters because of decreased commercial river traffic.

It’s likely that the Pittsburgh Brewing Co. facility will provide a boon to the township’s coffers and recreational river traffic in the Alle-Kiski Valley.

Last summer, the facility held a summer concert series, St. Patrick’s and Oktoberfest celebrations, and a car cruise that drew thousands. Pittsburgh Brewing set up a temporary boat dock last summer and plans a permanent one either this year or next.

East Deer officials anticipate $25,000 in revenues for 2025 from an amusement tax it imposed for large events in the township.

“When we were kids, there were tugboats constantly up and down that river — hauling coal, sand, gravel, glass, whatever — but they’re still vital that they be kept and maintained,” Taliani said.

The ARDC sent letters last month to roughly 50 municipalities along the Allegheny River asking for their support, said Mike Ferris, the organization’s president.

Lower Burrell Council was the first to sign off on a resolution last April.

Ferris did not have a number of how many municipalities have approved resolutions.

Although the resolutions of support signal no funding to the ARDC, they still hold a lot of weight to the organization, Ferris said.

“It’s giving us an awful lot of more clout with our congresspeople,” Ferris said. “When you have the communities signing on, it makes a statement.”