Glen, et al.:

The major players in Virginia are with the Piedmont Environmental Council.  Several attended a regional strategy meeting in Cumberland MD last week and we are collaborating on joint letters to Congress regarding the Hinchey-Wolfe bill.  But there was no discussion of cost-sharing, other than discussion of the concept that expert witnesses in one state could likely testify in other states at a much lower cost, since much of the analytical work would not need to be repeated.  

The main players in PA are the Pennsylvania ECO, as well as a grassroots coalition called "Stop The Towers".  They also are participating in what is currently being called the Mid Atlantic Energy Coalition.  This entity apparently just was formed in the last month.

As Bill DePaulo stated, it will cost as much as we are willing to spend.  We could intervene for a negligible cost, but getting the expert witnesses and spending the time to develop all the legal documents to win could cost $10,000 to $100,000, and if we had $200,000, we could spend all of that too.

I believe that this will require both the legal PSC intervention, as well as a political strategy, and a state legislative strategy, and a federal Congressional strategy to win.  So if we are serious about winning, we should be developing a longer-range plan.

JBK



>>> "Glen Besa" <glen.besa@sierraclub.org> 6/12/2007 8:25 AM >>>
Jim,
Contact Aaron Isherwood on this powerline matter.  Also, have any folks in
the VA horse country expressed an interest in supporting a WV challenge to
the power line?  Do we have any idea of the cost?  It is possible that VA
folks concerned about the power line thru their lands might desire to help
fight it in WV as well.  Glen

Glen Besa, Regional Director
Sierra Club Appalachian Region
(DC, DE, GA, MD, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV)
422 East Franklin Street, Suite 302
Richmond, VA 23219
O-804-225-9113 x 104
F-804-225-9114
C-804-387-6001
glen.besa@sierraclub.org
-----Original Message-----
From: James Kotcon [mailto:jkotcon@wvu.edu]
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2007 9:09 PM
To: duane330@aol.com; KenW; BarbaraF; Rodger Dotson; William DePaulo; Mary
Rehmann; Paul Wilson; allantweddle; Nate Parr; James Kotcon; Sally Wilts;
brbr_fallon@yahoo.com
Cc: JonathonR; Beth Little; Karen Grubb; Stephen M. Walker; Autumn Bryson;
Mary Davis; Bill Price; Dave Muhly; Glen Besa; Regina Hendrix; Jim Kotcon
Subject: Allegheny Transmission line deadline

The scheduling order came out from the WV Public Service Commission today.
It specifies that petitions to intervene must be submitted within 30 days,
hence July 11 is the deadline if the Chapter wants to intervene.  

I think we need a detailed plan for how to win this campaign if we are to
move forward.  There is an emerging regional coalition (the Mid-Atlantic
Energy Coalition) which has representation from 4 states.  Paul and I
attended a meeting last week, and there seems to be a consensus to oppose
the line, but the West Virginia portion of the case will need to be fought
by West Virginians.

JBK





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