TrAIL takes low road to argue case (Op-ed, Dominion Post)
The Dominion Post ran this guest commentary on Sunday, March 9.
BY DON CORWIN
Joseph Goebbels, leader of the propaganda campaign for Nazi Germany, once said, “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” Apparently, this is the hope of Allegheny Energy, as it continues to spew propaganda about the Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line, or TrAIL.
In recent weeks, Allegheny has flooded the air waves and print media with warm and fuzzy ads about how TrAIL will be a bonanza for West Virginia — producing jobs, providing reliable power and helping our economy. Allegheny and its minions have threatened us with power outages and shortages if this project is not approved. Thankfully, West Virginians aren’t drinking the Kool-Aid.
An executive from Allegheny Power recently penned an opinion (DP Feb. Feb. 10) extolling the virtues of TrAIL. He conveniently failed to mention some important facts.West Virginia jobs? Not so much. More than 90 percent of this project would be designed, built and managed outside West Virginia.
Furthermore, if TrAIL is approved, Allegheny would use eminent domain to force property owners on the TrAIL to sell their property. Did I forget to mention the biggest benefit of all? Millions of dollars in profit for Allegheny’s executives as they cash in on stock options made off the backs of state landowners and customers.
The primary objective of this power line, other than fattening the wallets of Allegheny’s executives, is to provide cheap, West Virginia power to Virginia and New Jersey. These states have no intention of building their own power plants and welcome the idea of having West Virginians breathe dirty air and pay bigger electric bills so they can heat their indoor swimming pools.
Evidentiary hearings for TrAIL were recently held before the state Public Service Commission in Charleston. The results of these hearings showed overwhelmingly that TrAIL is a bad deal for the people of West Virginia.
Some of the most important findings to come out of these hearings were:
The shortest and best route for TrAIL was through Pennsylvania and Maryland, yet Allegheny chose West Virginia because it perceived our state and its people as easier targets for forced seizure of private property.
This power line project does not strengthen the power grid in West Virginia, and any future power congestion can be easily eliminated through minor fixes in the existing power lines.
Allegheny’s application was woefully inadequate in identifying the impact on homeowners near the line route and ignored the economic and environmental impact of a 500-kilovolt power line that passes through the heart of northern West Virginia.
The evidence so clearly demonstrated that TrAIL is bad business for West Virginia that the PSC legal staff, engineering staff and its paid consultant all recommended against approval of TrAIL. The decision is now up to the commissioners. The evidence, the PSC staff recommendations and the overwhelming opposition from the public and businesses seem to point to a favorable outcome for the people of West Virginia. However, we are acutely aware that nothing can be taken for granted due to the power of lobbyists, possible backdoor deals and the lack of transparency in our state agencies.
As we await the decision of the commissioners, Allegheny’s propaganda campaign will likely continue. Like the coal and timber barons who came before them, Allegheny’s executives always believed they could pull the wool over the eyes of West Virginians.
Let’s hope that this time, the interests of West Virginians will come first and truth will prevail over propaganda.
DON CORWIN is president of the Halleck Community Association and a resident of the Halleck Road community. This commentary should be considered another point of view and not necessarily the opinion or editorial policy of The Dominion Post.