KINGWOOD – Approximately 100 people showed up at the Kingwood Civic Center Thursday evening for the fourth West Virginia Public Service Commission hearing concerning the MARL project. Four individuals asked the PSC to approve the project.
NextEra Energy Transmission’s proposed MARL project would span 107.5 miles starting in Greene County, Pennsylvania and ending in Frederick County, Virginia.
About 58.9 miles of the 500-kilovolt line would cross West Virginia on a route that would include 5.9 miles in Monongalia County before passing through Preston (15.8 miles), Mineral (10.9) and Hampshire (26.2) counties.
Charlotte Lane, Chairman for the Public Service Commission, said the Kingwood meeting was the last of four public meetings to allow public input about the project. Previous meetings were held in Mineral, Hampshire and Monongalia counties.
“We take public comments very serious,” Lane said. “People who couldn’t be at the hearings can file letters on our website or mail in comments to our office in Charleston.”
Much like Mon County, many Preston County residents are concerned that West Virginia is being asked to sacrifice natural beauty, public and private lands, and property values to become a pass through for a transmission line plugging data centers in Virginia into power generated in Pennsylvania. They said the project promises to raise electric bills across the region while providing little to no real benefit to West Virginians.
Although most comments opposed the power line, Lane said the commission has received some construction workers who are in favor of the project.
Barry Webber, the first speaker, said he has read both pros and cons about the project. Webber said he has serious concerns about property values.
“We have to look at the migration of wildlife. There’s a bald eagle at my pod fishing, and I read a report that the sound (from the power lines) can cause Alzheimer’s.”
Jonathan Wilson, who represented Men and Women of Organized Labor, said his organization strongly supported the project, and asked the PSC to support it.
Amanda Pitzer, director of Friends of the Cheat, explained how the project would affect the watershed. She explained how her organization has spent 30 years transforming the Cheat River from a river with sulfur water from mines running into it into a clean river that is enjoyed by people fishing and kayakers.
“It will cross the watershed after millions of taxpayer dollars was used to restore and save it. We restored the river, it makes no sense to destroy our river and streams.”
Jason Armentrout from Mineral County said he came to the meeting to support Preston County
“What’s the true cost? Preston County is known for its farms and lands that have been handed down through the ages. Landowners want to know who benefits from this. They deserve to know.”
Dennis Doss said he supported the MARL project. He said it will improve electrical service and create a workforce.
“These are family sustaining jobs. Investing in this is an investment in jobs,” he said.
Dr. Ellesa High said she moved to Preston County because of beautiful resources.
“I’m thankful to be here to speak against this. Who speaks for the eagle and the salamander? This was once one of the greatest hardwood forests on earth. It was destroyed by logging until about 1920. One hundred years later the trees have tried to regenerate. We’re just finding how how important those trees are. These lines (power lines) are a metal noose. Whose benefiting from them and who is losing?”
Technical Specialist Ed Lewis said he has friends and family who have farms and land in Preston County.
“Why do we have to suffer and lose over 100 miles of our forest, farms and homes. These data centers will be dead and dormant in 10 years,” he said.
Public comments may also be filed on line at www.pcs.state.wv.us/scriptss/onlinecomments/default.cfm by clicking the “Formal Case” link or by sending them to Karen Buckley, Executive Secretary, P.O. Box 812, Charleston, WV 25323. Please include the case name and number in the comments.
More information about this case can be found on the PCS website: www.psc.state.wv.us. Click on “Case Information” and access Case no. 26-0075-E-CN.
