Proposed Transfer of Property at the State Correctional Institution at Rockview to Penn State

As part of Pennsylvania’s sole land-grant university, Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has a mandate to meet the educational, research, and extension needs of the Commonwealth, which include the entire food and fiber sector of the economy, forestry and forest products, wildlife and fisheries, water resources, tourism, and recreation. Penn State is the Commonwealth’s only four-year higher-education institution to have this federal, state, and local mandate. To carry out this mandate, the college needs continued access to high quality, contiguous agricultural and forest lands.

With this in mind, a proposal is being considered to transfer approximately 1,850 acres of land at the State Correc-tional Institution at Rockview of which, Penn State will purchase 1,124 acres of agricultural and forest lands from the Commonwealth to be managed by the College of Agricultural Sciences; Benner Township will receive 400 acres, which includes the Spring Creek Canyon tract; and the Fish and Boat Commission will receive the land it currently leases. A detailed map of the parcels can be found on the ClearWater Conservancy Web site at http://www.clearwaterconservancy.org.

This proposed transfer of Rockview land is a unique opportunity for Penn State and the local community, as well as an important statewide issue. Making the now inaccessible land available for agricultural research and as living labora-tories and classrooms stands to benefit not only Penn State students but all state residents. Transferring the land to Penn State, the local township, and the commission will also foster new recreational uses of the land for area residents and visitors alike.

The links on this page provide additional information on this issue. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us at mfw10@psu.edu.

Dr. Robert D. Steele
Dean
College of Agricultural Sciences