Frustration and anger were evident at the Feb. 6 Northampton Borough Council meeting over a $422,900 state grant recently awarded to an environmental group tasked with the demolition of the historic Atlas Dam.

The dam is located in a quiet, pristine area in the town's northern end that years ago supplied power to the Atlas Portland Cement Company.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's awarding of the grant to Martins-Jacoby Watershed took the borough by surprise.

The borough was not provided prior notice of the decision and had no knowledge of the watershed organization's application.

The dam, built in the early 1900s, is located along the Hokendauqua Creek, on property owned by the Horwith family.

Councilman Ed Pany, curator of the Atlas Cement Memorial Museum, is a longtime advocate for retaining the dam.

"We got blindsided," he said.

Council President John Yurish echoed the same words in response to the state DEP's Jan. 22 announcement of awarding the removal grant to the watershed group.

Pany also argued destruction of the dam will affect the ecology of the area.

"The tragedy is this, that today, it is a wildlife sanctuary, populated by various species of birds, turtles and fish, and it's used by many sportsmen in the area," Pany said.

A local historian, Pany expressed dismay at plans to demolish the dam.

"This is a sad day, when part of the history of this town and heritage ... will be gone forever," he said.

Pany said the Atlas Portland Cement dubbed the borough "Northampton" in 1909.

Councilman Anthony Pristash said a letter should be drafted to the DEP, stating the borough's position on the issue, requesting information on how the grant decision was made.

Council unanimously concurred with Pristash's request.

"I'd like to know how [Martins-Jacoby Watershed] got the funding for it," Pristash said.

Pany said in the summer, after the dam is removed, the water level of the Hokendauqua Creek will drop.

"The fish will die," Pany added.

Councilman Anthony Lopsonzski Sr. criticized the DEP and the watershed group.

"I will be standing by that dam if they come to do it," he said.

'"I'd like to know where they came from and who they are," Lopsonzski added. "This stinks. That dam was built for a purpose. It is a historical remembrance. They want to destroy that."