HARRISBURG, PA-In a public forum today in Harrisburg, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) convened a panel to discuss and hear public comments about the designation of 52 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties as part of the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC). The forum was designed to better educate the public about the problems posed by the corridor designation and to gather public comments to echo in Washington.
“I'm holding this public meeting today to draw light to an issue that has not received the type of attention in Washington that it deserves,” said Senator Casey. “The Department of Energy has not conducted sufficient public meetings nor did they listen to the people of Pennsylvania when they made a designation that will turn 52 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties into a superhighway of large transmission towers and power lines. I've expressed my displeasure to those in Washington responsible for this decision. They seem to have taken notice and have begun a rehearing process.”
Senator Casey joined a panel consisting of Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty, Rep. Bill DeWeese (D-Greene/Fayette/Washington), Rep. Phyllis Mundy (D-Luzerne), Rep. Kate Harper (R- Montgomery), Sonny Popowsky, the Pennsylvania Consumer Advocate, as well as participants from the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.
The panel heard comments, information and concerns from the audience about the transmission corridor plan for Pennsylvania as well as concerns about the Allegheny Trail power line planned for Southwest Pennsylvania.
Senator Casey voiced his opposition to the draft plan to the Department of Energy during the public comment period. Despite an outpouring of opposition in Pennsylvania, the final plan was approved unchanged. He is continuing to fight to prevent the NIETC plan from going forward until Pennsylvania is, at a minimum, treated equitably.
Once this corridor is finalized, authority would, as a practical matter, reside with the federal government and power companies could effectively circumvent state and local government. Senator Casey believes that because of the significant impact this could have on rural communities and farmers, the placing of the towers should be done in coordination with their local communities and state government.
During the markup of the 2007 Farm Bill, Senator Casey introduced an amendment that would have prohibited the use of eminent domain in placing electric transmission towers on vital agriculture lands.
Senator Casey has met with Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and written two letters expressing his opposition to the Department of Energy’s final decision to build the NIETC through 52 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. In their meeting and in correspondence, Senator Casey also urged the Department to conduct more public outreach.
In October 2007, Senator Casey met with Assistant Secretary of Energy Kevin Kolevar to discuss the corridor. Senator Casey also met with and has corresponded with Joseph Kelliher, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee, a key figure involved with developing the corridor.
In an important point of distinction, when responding to Senator Casey’s questioning, FERC Chairman Kelliher indicated that it was FERC’s intention to give primacy to the Pennsylvania Utility Commission in the citing of transmission lines in Pennsylvania.
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