SUNBURY — Northumberland County Commissioners have approved a memorandum of understanding to acquire the internationally known Whaleback geological formation. They’ll do so with a land swap with Reading Anthracite. Pat Mack is chair of the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area board and said, “The only word I could come up with was gamechanger. This I believe is a gamechanger for the AOAA. We’ve had some great trails and the great fortune of a lot of grants, but I think it goes without saying that this is a gamechanger. It’s an attraction unlike any other.”
County Commissioner Chairman Sam Schiccatano says the agreement would exchange about 105 county-owned acres near a gas pipeline for 105 acres that includes the Whaleback, with the transaction still subject to final closing. Commissioner Schiccatano says the proposal grew out of years of cooperation with Reading Anthracite following a lengthy tax dispute involving several local taxing bodies. One leader said the Whaleback is a ‘real gem’ and already attracts colleges and researchers from around the world.
