Capon Valley Coalition

We saw a copy of the newsletter that Allegheny Power sent out Feb. 16 extolling the wonders of TrAIL. If you got a copy, hold your nose. If not, let me reprise a few items:

Need

If TrAIL is not built … “leading independent experts [warn] of blackouts as early as 2011.”

Horse hockey. Give us the data. Let us do our own analysis. Let us see what your “independent experts” — no doubt paid for by Allegheny — considered and did not consider. For instance, did they consider putting a power plant outside Philadelphia? Or Baltimore? Or Washington?

And how much of that energy will stay in West Virginia? Only what oozes off the power lines and makes our pets, our livestock and ourselves glow.

New Maps

They changed them once and “The proposed route filed with state commissions for approval may differ from these routes …” In other words, Allegheny is NOT GOING TO TELL us where the power line will go. A moving target is always harder to hit.

Open Houses

About 1,500 people attended 10 open houses … held between Thanksgiving and Christmas. There’s a great way to ensure that crowds stay small. (We noticed that none of the open houses was held in a mall … where the people were at that time.)

Valued Input

“At Allegheny, we value your input.”

Good. Get your stinkin’ power line out of our state!

Regulatory Filings

Allegheny says it plans to file in “early Spring 2007″ … just after the state legislatures in West Virginia and Virginia go home for the year. Now there’s a coincidence.

We’ll be watchin’ … and waitin’.

In Virginia, Allegheny Power’s partner, Dominion Power, changed its preferred route because of opposition lead by one of our allies, the Piedmont Environmental Council.

Now folks along the new route are just as outraged as we are. Here’s what the Rappahannock Times reported yesterday (Feb. 21):

If Dominion Virginia Power officials think they have eased opposition to electric transmission corridors in the region by diverting a planned line from northern Fauquier County to a new route that dips into Rappahannock County, they have another thing coming.

More than 50 people crammed into the Rappahannock County Library on Monday to organize opposition to Dominion’s proposal to cut an additional 500,000-volt electric transmission corridor next to an existing string of power lines in the eastern part of the county.

Concerned citizens, environmental activists and county officials turned out to the Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection’s monthly meeting in search of answers about the power company’s proposal and strategies that could prevent it from being built.

The questions were many, but the answers were few at the meeting, because Dominion officials have not disclosed much information about their plans for the corridor.

You can read the entire article here.

Moral of the story for Allegheny/Dominion: Stop now. Go back to the drawing board. Listen to us. It’s really not that hard.

If Dominion Virginia Power officials think they have eased opposition to electric transmission corridors in the region by diverting a planned line from northern Fauquier County to a new route that dips into Rappahannock County, they have another thing coming. More than 50 people crammed into the Rappahannock County Library on Monday to organize opposition to Dominion’s proposal to cut an additional 500,000-volt electric transmission corridor next to an existing string of power lines in the eastern part of the county.

Concerned citizens, environmental activists and county officials turned out to the Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection’s monthly meeting in search of answers about the power company’s proposal and strategies that could prevent it from being built.

Read the entire story here.

CVC member Bill Golemon filed this report from Tuesday’s meeting of the Hardy County Commissioners:

Members of the Capon Valley Coalition joined others at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Hardy County Commission in Moorefield to urge the Commissioners to pass a resolution opposing the proposed Allegheny Power Line. (We have received a copy of the resolution passed by the Hampshire County Commissioners and will get the text up on the Web site soon.)

H.J. Wratchford of Moorefield, a long-time Hardy County resident and landowner, graciously agreed to share his allotted time on the docket for our support in his opposition to the power line.

Mr. Wratchford presented a detailed analysis of the potential economic loss to the county in tax revenues, comparing taxes presently paid by AP to the potential tax value of the land in the rapidly developing county. [Based on rights-of-way and buffer zones along 19.46 miles of power line through the county, he estimates the loss of between $179,600 and $446,620 in taxes if the power line goes through.]

CVC Chairman Mitch Story gave a very strong presention on the background and potential impact of the power line and the NIETC proposal, and Bill Golemon spoke on the efforts the CVC is making and the strong opposition in Northern Virginia and the political support it is receiving.

Grady Bradfield and several other Hardy County landowners voiced their strong opposition to thepower line and made it clear that they expected the Commissioners to oppose the power line or be held accountable in the next election.

The Commission “took it under advisement” and say they would have a response by March 6. It was a compelling presentation, and the feeling of those who know the Commissioners is that they will support our position with a resolution. The meeting with covered by the Moorefield Examiner.

Meeting with Sen. Byrd

Meanwhile, a delegation of CVC members will meet in Washington Friday (Feb. 23) with Sen. Robert Byrd’s staff to convey the same message of opposition and expectation that the senator will support CVC.

We will keep you posted.

Hardy County colleagues, it’s your turn. Meet your commissioners. Get them on the record.

TUESDAY (Feb. 20). 2:30 p.m. County Courthouse in Moorefield.

Show up in numbers. Bring your signed petitions, if you have not already sent them to the Coalition post box.