Stop Path! In Morgan County

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First success! In short, PATH Officials have stated that they are re-drawing PATH routes and they Will Not Include Morgan County due to our collective opposition and environmental concerns! This is great news to us all and a strong citizen victory for Morgan County. However, although this news is positive, we need to keep on guard and our opposition strong. We do not know what the next routes will be. We want to make sure that we are not blindsided by new routes and need to keep our organization growing. We also need to help other counties in PATH’s Path. Our goals moving forward are to make Allegheny Power demonstrate that this project is necessary and that its ultimate route is the most economic and environmentally sound. Please continue to visit the site for news updates as this process continues.

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We are Citizens Against PATH, residents and property owners in Morgan County, WV, united to OPPOSE ALL of the recently proposed PATH electric power across the county.

We urge you to sign our PETITION to STOP PATH in Morgan County, receive Email Alerts and share information. We want to work with you to learn the facts and make relevant information available.

However, there is also an urgent need to take action now by letting PATH officials know your views. A preferred route may be selected as early as October and taken to the West Virginia Public Service Commission for a decision in December. They will interpret your failure to comment as implicit approval of their plans. CLICK ON the ‘Act’ section.

What is PATH?

PATH, the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline, is a 244 mile, 765-kilovolt line designed to carry vastly enhanced amounts of electric power to states in the North East US. PATH is scheduled to be built by Allegheny Energy and American Electric Power (AEP) by 2012. It will begin at St Albans, just northeast of Charleston, WV, and cross our state AND MORGAN COUNTY en route to Martinsburg, WV, where it will connect with another route terminating in Frederick, MD.

PATH’S Impact on Morgan County

PATH will cut a huge swath of land across Morgan County. Multiple towers will be erected that dwarf current ones. Each of the proposed PATH lines will destroy homes and property values, severely impact our natural environment, pose potential health risks to humans and wildlife, and provide no economic benefit to the county.

WHY MORGAN COUNTY?

For reasons that have not yet been clarified, proposed lines running through Morgan County were a last –minute addition to the PATH network. The routes appeared on the PATH map a week before a last-minute scheduled public meeting held at the Homestead Restaurant on August 14. After the Morgan Messenger publicized the event, over 250 citizens turned out. Instead of a coherent briefing, residents were ushered into a crowded room to hear 30 different and often-conflicting stories from 30 power company officials.

REASONS TO OPPOSE PATH

• Property Rights: PATH has the right to cross over your land. Although they claim property owners will be compensated, there is no way to put a value on someone’s home, heritage or way of life.

• Environment: There have been no significant environmental impact studies. Herbicides used to clear and maintain the rights of way will have a damaging impact on the Cacapon and Sleepy Creek watersheds. The impact on wildlife habitats and our water supply has not been considered.

• Health: PATH tells us there are no harmful effects from living near 765 kilovolt transmission lines. Independent studies, anecdotal evidence and common sense make people question these claims.

• Scenic Impact: The natural beauty of Morgan County will forever be diminished. Towers of unprecedented height will unalterably change our landscape.

TAKE ACTION.

Click on ACT to take action NOW!

Contact Citizens Against PATH:

Email: StopPath@gmail.com

Mail:
Stop Path
P.O. Box 1136
Berkeley Springs, WV, 25411