Allegheny Energy - PATH and TrAIL Projects (Martinsburg, St. Albans: power lines, house)

[7th Direction]

Hello all,

I attended the public meeting on PATH (and TRAIL) last night in Shepherdstown.

It was very informative and I found it distressing that so few people know about it.

So, I'm passing on the word so more people are aware.

PATH is an acronym for Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Line. It is a joint venture between AEP and Allegeheny Energy to build new high-voltage interstate transmission lines through at least 20 counties in West Virginia.

The PATH project encompasses 244 miles of 765 kilovolt transmission from St. Albans, WV to Martinsburg, WV and an additional 46 miles of twin transmission towers from Martinsburg, WV to Kemptown, MD.

The PATH and TrAIL projects affect the following West Virginia counties: Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Calhoun, Gilmer, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jackson, Jefferson, Lewis, Mineral, Morgan, Pendelton, Preston, Putnam, Randolph, Roane, Tucker and Upshur Counties.

The routes will follow much of the same path most of the existing tranmission lines follow, but the plan expands the right-of-way of the lines (from 200 feet to 400 feet) and increases the height of the towers from 100 feet to 180 feet. It multiples the amount of electricity flowing through thoses lines as much 8 times!

43 homes would have to be razed and the routes affect an additional 203 residential properties. They affect a few businesses and shopping centers. It bisects parks and golf courses. The new power lines may interfere with the construction of a new elemetary school.

The reason for the project is to provide cheap coal energy from West Virginia to the Eastern Seaboard. None of the increased energy produced will improve the power grid of West Virginia! It all goes to Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington DC!

But to pay for the project, everyone's electric rates are going to go raised while the new power lines decrease the property values of the neighborhoods nearby.

I did not even address the potential environmental impacts involved with the project.

Here are a few links to help learn about the issue and how it impacts you.

Allegheny Energy Website on PATH: PATH - Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline: Overview and Schedule (http://www.pathtransmission.com/overview/default.asp - broken link)

Business Wire Article: Allegheny Energy, Inc. Headlines Powered by Business Wire

Journal Article on PATH: Commission to oppose PATH project - Journal News

Allegheny Energy Website with Maps of Affected Communities:
PATH - Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline: Maps (http://www.pathtransmission.com/maps/default.asp - broken link)

WV Citizens Against Path: WV Citizens Against PATH

Sierra Club Article on PATH and TrAIL: Sierra Club Appeals TrAIL Decision, Plans ahead for PATH :: Sierra Club West Virginia

[zentropa]

Originally Posted by 7th Direction

Hello all,

I attended the public meeting on PATH (and TRAIL) last night in Shepherdstown.

It was very informative and I found it distressing that so few people know about it.

So, I'm passing on the word so more people are aware.

PATH is an acronym for Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Line. It is a joint venture between AEP and Allegeheny Energy to build new high-voltage interstate transmission lines through at least 20 counties in West Virginia.

The PATH project encompasses 244 miles of 765 kilovolt transmission from St. Albans, WV to Martinsburg, WV and an additional 46 miles of twin transmission towers from Martinsburg, WV to Kemptown, MD.

The PATH and TrAIL projects affect the following West Virginia counties: Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Calhoun, Gilmer, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jackson, Jefferson, Lewis, Mineral, Morgan, Pendelton, Preston, Putnam, Randolph, Roane, Tucker and Upshur Counties.

The routes will follow much of the same path most of the existing tranmission lines follow, but the plan expands the right-of-way of the lines (from 200 feet to 400 feet) and increases the height of the towers from 100 feet to 180 feet. It multiples the amount of electricity flowing through thoses lines as much 8 times!

43 homes would have to be razed and the routes affect an additional 203 residential properties. They affect a few businesses and shopping centers. It bisects parks and golf courses. The new power lines may interfere with the construction of a new elemetary school.

The reason for the project is to provide cheap coal energy from West Virginia to the Eastern Seaboard. None of the increased energy produced will improve the power grid of West Virginia! It all goes to Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington DC!

But to pay for the project, everyone's electric rates are going to go raised while the new power lines decrease the property values of the neighborhoods nearby.

I did not even address the potential environmental impacts involved with the project.

Here are a few links to help learn about the issue and how it impacts you.

Allegheny Energy Website on PATH: PATH - Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline: Overview and Schedule (http://www.pathtransmission.com/overview/default.asp - broken link)

Business Wire Article: Allegheny Energy, Inc. Headlines Powered by Business Wire

Journal Article on PATH: Commission to oppose PATH project - Journal News

Allegheny Energy Website with Maps of Affected Communities:
PATH - Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline: Maps (http://www.pathtransmission.com/maps/default.asp - broken link)

WV Citizens Against Path: WV Citizens Against PATH

Sierra Club Article on PATH and TrAIL: Sierra Club Appeals TrAIL Decision, Plans ahead for PATH :: Sierra Club West Virginia

My home, near Bedington is likely to be affected. Can citizens really affect what the government and private industry are determined to do? I hope so!

[7th Direction]

Contact the Public Service Commission (PSC). Write letters to Rockefeller, Byrd and Manchin. Educate your neighbors. Pass around the petition located at http://wvcitizensagainstpath.com/petition.doc

Allegheny Power and AEM have yet to file their proposed routes. It has to be approved by the PSC. The PSC can reccommend revisions.

[David Kennedy]

Here's how this has shaken out..

Allegheny Power is based in Pittsburgh...could not get their state house to help them with the power line because it was being built to carry power generated by the MoJo Power Network...MoJo has a power plant or two and several on the horizon...coal fired plants...and the Federal Law says he can sell that power for profit...even if it is more expensive than locally generated power...part of the Wind Mill Rules of Equality..

The idea is to sell MoJo Power into the eastcoast grid...have the public pay for the new transmission lines and let Allegheny get a service fee...Pennsi gave them a stone wall on the project...
Wv and the guys in the legislature down in C-town are more liberal about the project because the wallets in their pants are filled with A-Power money...

It's a winner for everybody but the local Wv customers...they are seeing their power bills double to pay for the new transmission lines...

This is the definition of a Boone-doggle....When its not a tax...but much higher and the proceeds benefit one particular person or company instead of the some of the general public.

This will not make the news in many of the Demo Papers...and about time for another secret meeting with the Chinese...hope those powerplants work better than the exported milk they sent us...