I concur. I will bet a six-pack of your favorite legal beverage that Mile Layton of the Dominion Post will call me before I even have a chance to read the decision.
Would this be a good time to focus attention once again on the PSC Staff flip-flop? I think it is fair to point out that the Commissioners rely on accurate and objective input from their Staff, and Melton's testimony that the line is not needed till 2014, and that they were influenced by the economic "goodies" offered by Allegheny in determining "need" is clearly inappropriate, both legally and scientifically. (Need to work on that sound bite).
JBK
"William V. DePaulo, Esq." william.depaulo@gmail.com 8/1/2008 3:22 AM >>>
Technically the PSC is not required to decide TrAILCo until Aug 2, Saturday. But the *probability is that they will issue a decision today in TrAILCo's favor* -- there's no reason to ruin a weekend with a formality that can be dispensed with on Friday.
It is very likely we will get calls from some *media*. Assuming the decision is to approve TrAILCo's application -- and I expect nothing else -- I believe we should express *disappointment with the PSC decision, without questioning their good faith*, and indicate that *we will in all probability will appeal *to the WV Supreme Court. And we will continue our fight to stop other unnecessary and environmentally degrading transmission lines in the future, i.e. PATH from AEP in the fal.
I also be strongly that we should *avoid anything that could be viewed as personal attacks *on the intelligence or character of PSC Commissioners McKinney and Staats, whom we will appear in front of for many years.
There is plenty on the merits to criticize here. We should* focus on the big themes* --
1. the *temporary, short term character of the purported benefits* and
2. the *permanence of the long term environmental costs*, both physically on the ground in West Virginia and world-wide in terms of global warming.
3. * the alternative energy solutions -- the low hanging fruit of conservation, wind and solar -- simply waiting to be picked*.
4. the risks of *failing to divesify *West Virginia's energy base away a 97% dependence on coal at a time when coal is about to be hit with massive cost increases, increases that W. Va. consumers and businesses will have no way to avoid.
In short, let's use this exercise as an opportunity for education.
Bill