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Action to Oppose Power Lines



Oppose Powerlines

Intervening in a Transmission Application Proceeding

There are no intervention proceedings currently open. Once a proceeding becomes active, additional information will be provided under Opportunities for Action.

Below are actions taken to oppose the TrAIL Line.

The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has oversight of the siting and construction of new electric transmission lines within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This process review includes public hearing(s) on the application. Affected parties can intervene in these proceedings, following the process laid out under the law. The review process begins with the transmission company submitting an application to the PUC.

The PUC will set the time and place for the public hearing or hearings. Notices of the public hearing will be published in newspapers serving each municipality in which the transmission line is to be sited. These notices are to be published in two consecutive weeks beginning no less than 45 days prior to the hearing date.

Parties interested in intervening must submit a written request for leave to intervene, identifying the objections they intend to raise. The Commission will accept comments and evidence relating to the following matters:

(1) The present and future necessity of the proposed High-Voltage line in furnishing service to the public.

(2) The safety of the proposed High-Voltage line.

(3) The impact and the efforts which have been and will be made to minimize the impact, if any, of the proposed High-Voltage line upon the following:

(i) Land use.
(ii) Soil and sedimentation.
(iii) Plant and wildlife habitats.
(iv) Terrain.
(v) Hydrology.
(vi) Landscape.
(vii) Archeologic areas.
(viii) Geologic areas.
(ix) Historic areas.
(x) Scenic areas.
(xi) Wilderness areas.
(xii) Scenic rivers.

(4) The availability of reasonable alternative routes.

Note that the transmission applicants are to have made efforts to identify and locate archaeologic, geologic, historic, scenic or wilderness areas of significance within 2 miles of the proposed right of way. And they are to have described reasonable alternative routes with a comparison of the merits and detriments of each route.

A different process applies if a proposed high voltage transmission line is proposed to be located entirely on an existing transmission route and if the proposed line does not substantially alter the right of way. In this event, the applicant may submit a letter of notification in lieu of application to the PUC and the PUC may approve the letter of notification without the full application process described above.

Full information on the requirements and process for intervening in a transmission application may be found on-line at this location:

http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/052/chapter57/subchapGtoc.html


Action to Oppose TrAIL Line

Briefs Filed in Response to Application of TrAIL Line

Energy Conservation Council (May 5, 2008)

Office of Consumer Advocate

West Penn Power Industrial Intervenors

Public Utility Commission/ Office of Trial Staff

Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation

PUC Staff Recommends TrAIL Line Be Turned Down

The Office of the Trial Staff (OTS), a part of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC), recommended the Pennsylvania Commissioners turn down the proposed transmission line. The PUC will decide the fate of the transmission line proposal in Pennsylvania.

When asked whether the transmission proposal would "have minimum adverse environmental impact, considering the electric power needs of the public, the state of available technology and the available alternatives," the OTS replied:

“Since it appears that there is a reasonable question regarding the need for the project, or at least a question of whether there are reasonable alternatives to the proposed transmission lines, this question should be answered in the negative...Approval of the Application at this time, in my opinion, is premature at best.”

Read Entire Testimony

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Testimony Before the PUC Regarding TrAIL

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Petitions to PUC to Intervene

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Motion for Injuctive Relief against Allegheny's subsidiary TrAILCo

TrAILCo makes a bad first impression in PA, where a state agency is seeking an injuction against the utility.

The Pennsylvania Office of the Consumer Advocate, an independent office within the Office of the Attorney General, has filed a Motion for Injuctive Relief against Allegheny's subsidiary TrAILCo:

"The OCA requests that TrAILCo and its land agents, acting on behalf of Allegheny Power, be enjoined from engaging in activities including misrepresentation of facts, coercive acts, or harassment of consumers, all of which violate Section 1501 of the Public Utility Code and pertinent regulations."

The Motion goes on to ask that TrAILCo be enjoined from stating that the proposed transmission line is a "done deal" and from disseminating inaccurate information about Damage Release Contracts and the proposed transmission line.

Read the PA Consumer Advocate's Motion for Injunctive Relief

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