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EARTH CONSERVANCY'S LAND USE PLAN Earth Conservancy's Land Use Plan (LUP) is a long-term comprehensive plan for the 16,300 non-contiguous acres of land in 20 Luzerne County municipalities that EC purchased from the bankrupt Blue Coal Corporation in 1994.  Implementation of this plan began in 1997 and will take about 25 years to complete.   Major components include almost 11,000 acres of open/green space throughout the southern Wyoming Valley, 2,200 acres for industrial development, 2,800 acres for residential use, and the development of a 19-mile, $188 million transportation network in the southern Wyoming Valley.  While these components are being developed, EC will continue reclaiming mine-scarred land.   The LUP was developed by a 38-member Land Use Planning Committee headed by Ed Schechter, a local businessman and now-retired member of EC's Board of Directors.  The committee included representatives of surrounding municipalities, Luzerne County, area businesses, community leaders, recreational groups and environmental concerns, as well as area residents.   During the year-long planning process, EC held public meetings on the plan in order to gather as much public input from residents on appropriate and inappropriate uses for the land.  In addition, interviews were held with EC's board members, the LUPC, municipal officials, land owners, local business leaders, and other stakeholders to gather data on potential land uses.   Follow-up projects to the Land Use Plan is EC's innovative Mixed-Use Land Development Project, which incorporates industrial, residential, and recreational/open space development within one contained area, and an Open Space Master Plan, which details various recreational and conservational uses for 11,000 acres of the 16,300 EC owns.  Other uses for EC lands include residential and industrial/commercial development and transportation initiatives.   In 1998, EC's Land Use Plan won a 1998 Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence, through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Gov. Tom Ridge's administration for its benefit to the Commonwealth's environment and economy, as well as its innovation and effective use of existing resources.  Primary funding for this plan was provided by Luzerne County, the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and the Appalachian Regional Commission. Click on the links below to access the Land Use Plan. Please note: some maps and tables are listed separately under chapter headings. Cover Contents 1 – Introduction 2 – Planning Framework 3 – EC Land Holdings Site Analysis Figure 3-2 Figure 3-3 Figure 3-4 Figure 3-5 4 – Alternate Development Concepts Figure 4-1 Figure 4-2 Figure 4-3 5 – Recommended Development Plans Figure 5-1 Figure 5-2 Figure 5-3 Figure 5-4 Figure 5-5 Figure 5-6 Figure 5-7 Figure 5-8 Figure 5-9 6 – Implementation Figure 6-1 Figure 6-2 Figure 6-5 Appendices Reclamation Mine Drainage/Artificial Wetlands Open Space Plan Composting Game Co-operators Program Environmental Technologies Land Sales/Development Opportunities

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