A River Reborn

Ben Kalina (2021, U.S., 28 min.) + additional short film + post-film discussion

The Little Conemaugh River forms a crucial artery winding through Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains. However, the region’s long industrial history has scarred the river with a legacy of contamination and pollution that inhibited generations from enjoying the water and fish. But fortunately that’s not the end of the story.

Ben Kalina’s A River Reborn profiles the efforts of a coalition of residents and organizations to revitalize the river and restore it back into the social and ecological centerpiece that it deserves to be. It’s a story of hope; a story of action; and a story of people working together. And this effort can serve as a model for other regions afflicted by the legacy of coal mines and other extractive industries.

Screening with the film was a short film from WPSU profiling the work of Penn State water researchers William Burgos and Jennifer Macalady working to remediate acid mine drainage, a significant problem across Pennsylvania.

Following the film screening, we hosted a post-film discussion panel about the challenges and opportunities for revitalizing Pennsylvania’s watersheds and surrounding communities, featuring:

• Bill Burgos, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Penn State
• Lara Fowler, Interim Chief Sustainability Officer and Director of the Sustainability Institute, Penn State (moderator)
• Pennsylvania State Representative Dallas Kephart
• Eric Skrivseth, Past President, Moshannon Creek Watershed Association

(Shown in partnership with the Penn State Water Council)