Published: September 04, 2007 10:46 am      

New line will energize power company profits

The Capon Valley Coalition will host a public meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at the War Memorial Building on Main Street in Wardensville, in order to oppose the TRAIL power line proposed by Allegheny Power. The director of the Consumer Advocate Division of the West Virginia Public Service Commission will discuss Allegheny's proposal and the approval process.

Hampshire and Hardy County Commissioners, who have already gone on record opposing the power line, are invited, as well as our local area state legislators. I sent information concerning the power line to many of our legislators in March, asking for a meeting, but I have not received any replies. Many legislators from other counties have actively opposed the power line, but I am not aware of any of our representatives who have done so.

The power line is a 240-mile, 500-kilovolt transmission line with towers up to 175 feet high, from Western Pennsylvania through Mount Storm to Northern Virginia near Stephens City. It will pass through Monongalia, Preston and Grant Counties, and through Hardy and Hampshire, crossing the Cacapon River between Yellow Spring and Capon Springs. It will not provide power for West Virginia, although our rates may be increased to pay for it. There is very strong opposition to it in Northern Virginia. Knowledgeable experts say the power is not needed there but will go to the Northeastern states.

Electric power companies will make enormous profits buying power from coal-fired plants in Midwestern states and selling it in Northeastern states, as long as they can take our land cheaply to build more and more power lines.

This power line will be built next to a very large existing line, and will require an additional 200-foot right of way from landowners, who will be forced to sell it whether they want to or not. It will do further damage to the environment and the scenic beauty of our counties, destroy property values and the financial security of many families, lower the tax base, discourage real estate sales and economic development, and increase the potential health hazard to people living nearby.

It is time for the citizens of Hampshire and Hardy Counties to become informed and to express their opinions on this issue to their elected representatives.

William L. Golemon
Yellow Spring, W.Va.