Debbie (Kenneth, et al.):
I recommend three actions that you should take immediately, as well as a series of activities that will be needed to fight this PATH over the long term.
First, if your property is in one of the proposed routes, contact an attorney and be sure you fully understand your legal rights and responsibilities. I realize that this is unfair and that you did not ask for this expense and aggravation, but the law is what it is, and you can not fight it if you do not know what it is.
But don't stop there. Legal battles are unlikely to win a favorable result for you as the law is stacked in favor of the utility. A political solution is also needed. Therefore, I also recommend:
Second, talk to your County Commissioners. Ask them to adopt a resolution opposing PATH, just as the affected counties did for the TrAIL line. If your commissioners are hesitant, ask them to at least talk to the Commissioners in Hardy, Hampshire, Preston, Monongalia, and Tucker Counties, all of whom adopted such resolutions.
Third, talk to your state Delegates and Senators. Ask them to support legislation to reform the Public Service Commission, and to restore some balance to the rules governing the taking of private property in West Virginia. Senator John Hunter had a couple of good bills last session, but they did not pass, so ask your delegates to sign on to these.
I am attaching a fact sheet we developed for this effort. We will be doing more work on it as the application proceeds, but you should not wait to get started. Contact me if I can be of other help.
Jim Kotcon WV Sierra Club Energy Committee. 304-293-8822 (office) 304-594-3322 (home)
Regina Hendrix regina1936@verizon.net 8/18/2008 11:32 PM >>>
Debbie, I'm cc-ing the Sierra Club's Energy Committee about your concerns and will have someone get it touch with you. Sierra Club has been actively opposing Trail and we are gearing up to fight PATH. Such a dirty deal for all West Virginians!!
I live in Charleston and in my part of the state we are plagued with mountaintop removal and pollution from coal-fired generating plants. We are already exporting 70% of the electricity generated in WV. If these lines are allowed to be built, demand for coal will increase and more power plants will be needed to generate more electricity for the East Coast.......
Regina Hendrix 304-343-5211
P.S. Will someone on the Energy Committee get in touch with Debbie.
Kenneth Redfern wrote:
Hello,
This is the first time I have ever written to an organization about matters like this.
I need your group's help or guidance in what steps I can take as a concerned resident of Berkeley County WV.
An open house for the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH) was held on August 6th in Martinsburg, WV.
This was not a public forum but a meet and greet "the proposed high power transmission line that may be in your backyard" meeting.
I have been watching the PATH website for maps of the proposed routes for these lines and they never had them on their website until recently.
I have been worried about this high power transmission line from when I first heard about this project about 1 to 2 years ago.
The area I live in is in the bulls eye of a couple of proposed routes. I do not live in an unpopulated area so these routes would affect many residents in this area of Berkeley County.
But actually most of these routes in Berkeley County are in populated areas.
We live in a beautiful area of Berkeley County that has beautiful views of the mountains, that would be marred by this transmission line. Also looking at these proposed routes these lines will literally be in people's backyards.
Even though the transmission line will not be in my backyard it will still be in the area I live.
I would like to compose a handout to make my neighbors more aware of the possibility of this happening in our area.
I received the Mountain State Sierran that had an article about PATH but I cannot find it.
Could you please offer some guidance in who to get in touch with about my concerns and if you have any information that could help me in this endeavor.
I hope to hear from you soon, we don't have much time to voice our concerns.
I copied the paragraph below from the PATH website:
These maps are designed to help property owners and other interested parties learn more about the alternatives under consideration for the line segments. The specific line route has not been selected. The companies expect to determine the exact proposed route of the line by late fall of 2008. Thank you,
Debbie Redfern 304 Duchess Way Martinsburg, WV 25403
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