Letter to the Editor of The Charleston Gazette
Bill Golemon, a member of the Capon Valley Coalition Steering Committee active in reaching out to the news media, wrote the following letter to the editor of The Charleston Gazette on March 3.
We don’t know if the newspaper will publish it, but we will let you know. The Allegheny Power Company has proposed a 240-mile 500-kilovolt extra high voltage transmission line across West Virginia, with towers up to 175 feet high, as tall as 12 to 15 story buildings. They will soon request construction authority from the state Public Service Commission.
If they don’t get what they want, the designation of a National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor in West Virginia will allow them to request from the Federal government the right of eminent domain, to seize right-of-way from landowners, overriding our property rights and the state’s right to regulate power line siting and construction. Many Governors and regulatory commissions in other states strongly oppose this, and bi-partisan congressional legislation is being introduced to restrict it.
West Virginia is entering a new era of growth and economic development, supported by the efforts of leaders like Senator Byrd and Governor Manchin.
I live in Hampshire County, in the beautiful and historic Cacapon River Valley, the oldest settled area in West Virginia. Eastern West Virginia is an area of rapid growth and an expanding economy, and with the completion of the Corridor H highway this growth will accelerate. Tourism is expanding. People are moving into Hampshire and Hardy Counties, buying property, building homes and starting businesses, in order to enjoy the scenic beauty of the area.
This new gigantic power line through our counties will devastate this scenic beauty, destroy property values and damage the economy of our communities.This is a terrible and unacceptable price to pay to increase Allegheny Power’s profits, which have been growing rapidly. Incredibly, part of their justification for the recent rate increase was to help pay the construction costs of the power line.
Apparently, the citizens of West Virginia are supposed to pay for this infringement of our property rights, destruction of property values, and damage to our financial security and our environment. The power line will carry power produced outside of West Virginia, and is not intended for West Virginia. Its purpose is to provide cheaper electricity to Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states.
There are other more practical and far less destructive alternatives to achieve this. It has been stated that West Virginia needs to improve its transmission infrastructure. This may be true, but it is not apparent here, where five power lines are visible within 20 miles.
Apparently it is also considered to be beneficial to the coal industry, but this power is characterized as being excess capacity, already available to be sent to other states. The best alternative solution is to build new power plants where the demand is, creating new markets for clean West Virginia coal.
Another choice would be to put the lines underground, supposedly more costly to do but more reliable and cost efficient in the long run, far less damaging, and less threatening to safety and health.
Citizens of Hampshire and Hardy County have formed the Capon Valley Coalition to oppose this power line. To date we have received well over 600 signed petitions supporting us, and have received the support of the Hampshire County Commission and many other organizations. Although this was not an issue during the current legislative session we feel very strongly that it should have been.
We seek the support and efforts of our elected representatives and state agencies to review this issue. There should be a thorough study of the need for this power line and its perceived benefits, alternative solutions, and above all, the tremendous negative impact it would have on thousands of property owners and the entire state.
Respectfully,
William Golemon
P O Box 127
Yellow Spring WV 26865