MVCAC October 2007

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3 participants
7 discussions

Add Sustainable Growth to WV-EOP
by Duane330＠aol.com 25 Oct '07

25 Oct '07

ENERGY POLICY: National Academies Make Case for Sustainable Growth Eli Kintisch A report released this week by dozens of the world's national science academies recommends using energy more efficiently, putting a price on carbon emissions, and developing green energy sources. See the journal Science, October 26, 2007, Volume 318, Issue 5850. Let me suggest that you visit the following web site, and submit your support for incorporating the above referenced studies into the WV Energy Opportunities Plan [EOP]. Comments can be submitted electronically until the end of October, i.e. Wednesday of next week. If you do it now, you won't forget. I have requested that WV develop a plan that reduces carbon dioxide emissions state-wide by 2% per year, which would be reasonably easy to achieve and to sustain, if a plan and commitment were made to do so. Web Site for WV-EOP: _www.energywv.org_ (http://www.energywv.org) ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

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Power Line Hearings are Tomorrow!
by Paula Hunt 22 Oct '07

22 Oct '07

Hi Everyone, Please remember to attend one of the public hearings on the proposed high-power transmission line (TrAIL). Morgantown Hearings (Tomorrow!!!) * Date: Tuesday October 23, 2007 * Location: Erickson Alumni Center Patteson Drive-705 (WVU Evansdale Campus) Morgantown * Time: Afternoon Session begins at 1:30 pm Evening Session begins at 6:30 pm Grafton Hearings * Date: Wednesday October 24, 2007 * Location Taylor County Senior Citizens Center Intersection of Route 119 and 250 ========================================== Be heard or at least be seen! - paula

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Public Input Hearings, Tomorrow.
by Duane330＠aol.com 22 Oct '07

22 Oct '07

RE: Proposed TrAIL Transmission Line. PUBLIC INPUT HEARING: Erickson Alumni Center, Morgantown, WV. Date and Time: Tuesday, October 23rd, 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm. Background information: Pennsylvania: _www.stopthetowers.org_ (http://www.stopthetowers.org/) West Virginia _www.notowersinwv.org_ (http://www.notowersinwv.org/) Virginia _www.stopdominion.org_ (http://www.stopdominion.org/) ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

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Mid-Atlantic concerned citizens
by Duane330＠aol.com 15 Oct '07

15 Oct '07

The Mid-Atlantic Concerned Citizens Energy Coalition (MACCEC) is an established but expanding network of individuals and organizations within our eight-state region. Our mission is to educate citizens about electricity issues and to motivate them to take actions that will create policies and support solutions appropriate for the 21st century. Please visit the MACCEC website (still a work in progress) at _www.maccec.org_ (http://www.maccec.org/) Email your comments and suggestions, e.g., links you would like to see posted in Electric Energy Information for your state or More NIET Corridor News for your state. Forward this email to others who may be interested in providing input. This Mid-Atlantic area coalition supports 21st century energy solutions and opposes the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) recently designated Mid-Atlantic Area National Corridor. It is our belief that networking on a regional basis will offer concerned citizens ongoing opportunities to make a difference together. Barbara Kessinger Organizer, MACCEC _www.maccec.org_ (http://www.maccec.org/) ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

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"Opposition To TrAIL Power Line...."
by Duane330＠aol.com 12 Oct '07

12 Oct '07

Press release: Opposition To TrAIL Power Line Strengthens In West Virginia The diverse opponents of the proposed new TrAIL electric power transmission line are dedicated to bringing a halt to the project. This 240 miles line includes 114 miles in West Virginia and will consume an estimated 7500 acres of land here. The cooperating organizations that oppose the line include the WV Environmental Council, the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, the Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition, the Ft. Martin Community Association, the West Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, Halleck - Triune Community Association, Laurel Run Watershed Association, WV Highlands Conservancy, WV Inter-faith Global Climate Change Campaign, Capon Valley Coalition, Laurel Mountain Preservation Association and others. Don Corwin Jr, President of the Halleck Community Association says that "West Virginians are being forced into a position where we are giving up our property rights for a power line that passes through the heart of our communities, does not benefit us, and we have to pay for it. This is the ultimate example of bad business in West Virginia." Allegheny Energy submitted an application for the transmission line in March. The 240-mile line consists of 140-foot tall support towers and overhead wires carrying up to 500,000 volts. It would transport electricity from local power plants to the east coast states. Two proposed transmission line routes through West Virginia have been submitted to the WV Public Service Commission by Allegheny Energy. In either case, the line would come south from Washington and Greene counties in Pennsylvania then pass through the counties of Monongalia, Marion, possibly Taylor, Preston, Tucker, Grant, and Hampshire in West Virginia, and then pass through northern Virginia. Opposition to the line is extremely strong in both Pennsylvania and Virginia. Allegheny Energy avoided Maryland all together, apparently to avoid opposition in that state, despite the fact that the shortest distance for this line would have been through Maryland and not northern West Virginia. Lew McDaniel of the Laurel Run Watershed Association believes that “This really is a battle between rural and urban America. We are a nation that fights wars over equal values, which means a green space covered with trees deserves the same consideration as a city lot covered with asphalt. Yet here we are trying to preserve over 7000 acres of our property in the face of unbridled demand for electricity in other states. Primary concerns of the groups are that: (1) current eminent domain rules and practices are not fair to property owners and other residents since the right-of-way will be seized without just compensation for reduced property values for all those near the line, (2) land disturbances will be extensive, surface and ground water flows will be affected, the natural beauty of the region will be substantially degraded, and these disturbance will prevail for many decades to come, essentially forever, (3) a new line will give added life to old power plants that generate extremely large volumes of carbon dioxide, the most important greenhouse gas affecting climate change, as well as other pollutants, (4) and, of equal significance, the line will not serve the electric customers of West Virginia in spite of the fact that local electric bills are being increased already to pay for the planning, permitting, engineering, construction and operation of this line. "I am not aware of any previous application for a transmission line that has ever been turned down by the WV PSC," said Jim Kotcon, President of the West Virginia Environmental Council. "But there has never been such strong opposition from so many diverse groups to such a transmission line. This one is truly a bad idea for West Virginia, and Allegheny is proposing it simply because it is an easy way to make money by gouging the ratepayers." According to Bill Golemon of the Capon Valley Coalition, “Allegheny Power has not adequately considered other alternatives to the power line or made a convincing case that it is really necessary.” Concern is also being expressed over the recent designation of 42 counties in West Virginia as part of a National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC), under the US Energy Policy Act of 2005. The designated counties include Kanawha and essentially all the State north of Kanawha. Federal eminent domain authority now applies which supercedes State authority for high voltage electric transmission lines, should the US Department of Energy decided to use the authority. These regulations have not yet been tested in the federal courts, as the designation attempts to overrule the rights of the States that may have constitutional superiority. The WV Public Service Commission will hold extensive public hearings at 1:30 and 6:30 pm on October 23rd in Morgantown, October 24th in Grafton, October 29th in Davis (Tucker County), and October 30th in Moorefield; hearings will start at 9:00 am on November 28th and 29th in Charleston. Anyone interested in the proposed power line may appear at any of these public comment hearings and make statements if relevant to the line, and/or send written comments to the Public Service Commission, ATTN: Sandra Squire, 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, WV 25323. Correspondence should designate the TrAIL Case Number: 07-0508-E-CN. See also the following web site: _www.notowersinwv.org_ (http://www.notowersinwv.org/) For further information, contact: Duane Nichols, _duane330(a)aol.com_ (mailto:duane330@aol.com) , 304-599-8040. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Contact information for participating groups: WV Environmental Council Don Garvin 2206 Washington Street, East _www.wvecouncil.org_ (http://www.wvecouncil.org/) Charleston, WV 25311 304-414-0143 .............................................................................. .......................................................... Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition Dianne Bady PO Box 6753 304-522-0246 Huntington, WV 25773-6753. _ohvec(a)ezwv.com_ (mailto:ohvec@ezwv.com) .............................................................................. ........................................................... Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition Duane G. Nichols P. O. Box 4679 _Duane330@aolcom_ (mailto:Duane330@aolcom) Morgantown, WV 26504 304-216-5535 .............................................................................. ............................................................ Sierra Club, WV Chapter Barbara Fallon P. O. Box 4142 _brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com_ (mailto:brbr_fallon@yahoo.com) Morgantown, WV 26504 304-292-3345 .............................................................................. ........................................................... Ft. Martin Community Association Rosemary Eavenson 1634 Ft Martin Road 304-599-6916 Maidsville, WV 26541 _FortMartin1769(a)aol.com_ (mailto:FortMartin1769@aol.com) .............................................................................. ........................................................... WV Interfaith Global Climate Change Campaign Wil Reilly 115 Lakeside Drive _Wjreilly99(a)yahoo.com_ (mailto:Wjreilly99@yahoo.com) Morgantown, WV 26508 304-292-0001 .............................................................................. ............................................................ WV Highlands Conservancy Frank Young Route 1, Box 108 304-372-3945 Ripley, WV 25271 _fyoung(a)mountain.net_ (mailto:fyoung@mountain.net) .............................................................................. ..................................................................... Halleck - Triune Community Association Don Corwin, Jr. Monongalia County, WV _Decorwin(a)aol.com_ (mailto:Decorwin@aol.com) _www.notowersinwv.org_ (http://www.notowersinwv.org/) 304-291-0886 .............................................................................. ..................................................................... Laurel Run Watershed Association Lew McDaniel Route 1 Box 252 _lewmcdan(a)hrea.coop_ (mailto:lewmcdan@hrea.coop) Independence, WV 26374 304-288-4078 .............................................................................. ................................................................... Laurel Mountain Preservation Association Art Dodds, Montrose, WV _www.laurelmountainpreservationassociation.org_ (http://www.laurelmountainpreservationassociation.org/) _pamart(a)meer.net_ (mailto:pamart@meer.net) P. O. Box 217, Montrose, WV 26283 304-823-1095 .............................................................................. ...................................................................... Capon Valley Coalition Bill & Lynn Golemon P. O. Box 127 _billgolemon(a)frontiernet.net_ (mailto:billgolemon@frontiernet.net) Yellow Springs, WV 26865 304-856-1188 .............................................................................. ..................................................................... Date: October 12, 2007 ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

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Transmission Line Hearings Tues Oct 23rd
by Paula Hunt 10 Oct '07

10 Oct '07

Hey Everyone! Please attend one of the public meetings for the proposed HUGE transmission line (cleverly dubbed "TrAIL") Allegheny Energy is trying to foist on our region. Please see the links, etc. at the end of this message for more information about TrAIL. The West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) will hold two public hearings in Morgantown on Tuesday October 23. One is at 1:30 pm and the second is at 6:30 pm at the WVU Erickson Alumni Center located on the West Virginia University campus (off of 705/Patteson Drive). Even if you do not choose to speak, please attend one of these VERY important meetings. The Erickson Alumni Center is located off of Patteson Drive (Rt 705) on WVU's Evansdale Campus. Here is a link to map: http://www.wvu.edu/CampusMap/Images/evansdale_campus_vlrg.gif . Parking may be tight, but remember, you can usually find a space near Patteson Drive at the Printing Services Building (a low white brick building). It also makes for a quick exit! Also, please send comments to the PSC: Public Service Commission of West Virginia c/o Ms. Sandra Squire, Executive Secretary PO Box 812 Charleston WV 25323 1-800-344-5113 (in WV) FAX: (304) 340-0325 Please refer to Case Number: 07-0508-E-CN (TrAIL ) in your letter. Reasons to oppose the TrAIL: * Property values for all those near the line will plummet. * The right-of-way can be taken by eminent domain. * The line will not serve the residents of West Virginia, yet our electricity bills would be increased to pay for this transmission line. * The natural beauty of the region will be destroyed, permanently! * The proposed transmission line will give added life to old polluting power plants that need to be retired. * Many of the people and livestock along the transmission corridor rely on wells and springs for drinking water. herbicides used along the transmission line would degrade water quality. Thanks in advance, paula ................................ Here is an overall map of the proposed line in WV: http://aptrailinfo.com/index.php?page=wv-proposed-route-map . Note how the route curves *around* Maryland to stay in West Virginia!! For more information please check out http://www.notowers.info/ . The site http://www.notowersinwv.org/ looked really good two days ago, but was blank when I just checked it. Still... try it out. Lasly, http://stopthetowers.org/ is run by a southwestern PA group opposong the same transmission line. It is a good source of information.

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NIETC become reality
by Duane330＠aol.com 03 Oct '07

03 Oct '07

THE DECISION OF THE US-DOE SHOWN BELOW INDICATES THAT THE MID-ATLANTIC "NIETC" NOW EXISTS, HOWEVER THE PROPOSED TRAIL LINE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR APPROVAL BY THE US-DOE WITHIN THIS CORRIDOR UNTIL ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE STATES, EITHER APPROVING, DISAPPROVING, OR NEGLECTING TO MAKE A DECISION. THEN, THE US-DOE CAN APPROVE THE TRAIL LINE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE STATES DECIDE. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Subject: DOE Designates National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors, October 2, 2007. ************************************************************ DOE Designates Southwest Area and Mid-Atlantic Area National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors ************************************************************ WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Kevin M. Kolevar today announced the Department's designation of two National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (National Corridors) -- the Mid-Atlantic Area National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor, and the Southwest Area National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor. These corridors include areas in two of the Nation's most populous regions with growing electricity congestion problems. The Department based its designations on data and analysis showing that persistent transmission congestion exists in these two areas. Further information, including the complete National Electric Transmission Congestion Report and the maps, is available on the Corridors web site at http://www.nietc.anl.gov. For More Information ******************** For more information about the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors and Congestion Study, visit the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors and Congestion Study Web site at _http://nietc.anl.gov/index.cfm_ (http://nietc.anl.gov/index.cfm) . ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

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MVCAC October 2007