Citizen Activism is effective & crucial!
The Herald-Mail
October 18, 2008
 
Allegheny Power spokesman Todd L. Meyers said that response was a key factor in the company's choice to reroute the line. The power company received about 2000 comments about the line during 20 open houses. “With all the different constraints, all different historic areas of the parks, communities etc., and everything we were hearing at the open houses, it was going to be very difficult,” Meyers said. He said all of the proposed 500 kV routes shown at open house meetings are “off the table”.

 Link to Morgan County Council Resolution
The resolution was adopted by the Morgan County Commission on
August 22, 2008.

Dear Members,

We have repeatedly been told that “form” letters people just sign are not taken as seriously as individual letters. Therefore we are encouraging all Sugarloaf members to write a letter to at least one of the officials below (The governor is the most important at this point.). (It’s fairly easy to adapt one letter to send to others once you’ve made your points.)

Simply read over the comments and pick two or three you like, expand if you like, and add a few sentences about yourself to personalize it and it’s finished! Change it just a little and email it to one of the papers (email addresses below as well). We’d love it if you’d e-mail us a copy!

Please help Sugarloaf Conservancy to be successful in the fight for the beauty and quality of life in Frederick County!

Letters to our Elected Officials

The following are the addresses of our elected officials and some of their comments on the Chesapeake Bay!

When signing Legislation to Protect Maryland's Environment, Chesapeake Bay; Help Secure Maryland's Energy Future, you stated, “We must do all that we can to preserve our natural resources and secure Maryland’s energy future.”

At the Maryland Association of Counties Annual Summer Conference in Ocean City this past summer when you said, “Some of these battles we have lost and some of these battles we have won, but every day we fight for the public interest of the people of Maryland. And that is what we are going to continue to do – sparing no expense, retaining any expert, hiring whatever legal resources the public's case requires, and recruiting our neighbors in other States whenever possible to stand up for the public interest in our fight for a more affordable and secure energy future."

The Honorable Martin O’Malley
Governor, State of Maryland
State House
100 State Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401

“The Chesapeake Bay is part of who we are as Marylanders – it is part of our heritage and part of our culture. I am proud to support the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network,”

The Honorable Barbara Mikulski
United States Senate
503 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

“The Gateways Program will help record our history, protect the Bay, reflect our values, and renew our sense of pride and wonder. I will continue to fight to preserve our national treasure and its history for future generations.”

The Honorable Senator Ben Cardin
United States Senate
509 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Letters to the Editor

Frederick News-Post - letters@fredericknewspost.com The limit for letters is 200 words. (They will take a little longer letter for the Sunday edition.) Letters must include the writer's name, town of residence and daytime phone number.

Washington Post - The e-mail address is letters@washpost.com. Do not send attachments; they will not be read. Letters must include the writer's home address and home and business telephone numbers. Because of space limitations, those published are subject to abridgment.

Bullet Points for Letters to Our Elected Officials

Since this past October, Sugarloaf Conservancy has been calling on PATH Allegheny to conduct an independent study on the merits of using High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) underground for the PATH project. This is a mature technology, which allows for High Voltage transmission lines to be buried along existing right-of-ways such as railroad lines, roads or under existing transmission lines, thus minimizing environmental impacts.

Allegheny talks in general terms about why High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) will not work. Costs more, more environmental damage, longer outages when a line is broken and less reliable. They fail to offer any specific information to support their conclusions.

Clearing forests for a 200’ right-of-way (ROW) will increase the runoff into Bennett Creek and then into the Chesapeake Bay therefore decreasing the health of the bay. High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) can use an existing ROW of about 20 feet.

Clearing forests for a 200’ right-of-way (ROW) will increase the fragmentation of our forests and thus cause considerable damage Maryland’s wildlife. High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) can use an existing ROW of about 20 feet.

Sugarloaf Conservancy last October asked Allegheny Energy to commission an independent study on the merits of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC).

Since providing our elected officials with the facts on High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology our County Commissioners and State Delegation have both unanimously supported our call for an independent study by sending letters to Allegheny energy. Our local newspaper, the Frederick News Post, has also written an editorial supporting our position.

I am asking for your support in joining the call now for PATH Allegheny to conduct an independent study before they file with the MPSC.

According to PJM electricity usage had decreased. With experts saying it will take years for the economy to recover, there is not the urgent need to proceed with building a new overhead HVAC transmission line. Why not take this opportunity to study and determine the best technology that will minimize the environmental impact.

We need your support now to keep Allegheny from causing more damage to the environment. No one wants a transmission line in his or her back yard; however, if one is necessary, then surely it should be constructed in a manner that minimizes the environmental impact.

(Governor) I request that you enter into a dialog with the Governors of Virginia and West Virginia about forming a “Regional Transmission Siting Agency. It is my understanding that if this was formed, the Federal Government could not usurp a decision made by the Maryland Public Service Commission.

(Governor, Mikulski, Cardin) I understand you have received a letter from Sugarloaf Conservancy asking for your support. I cannot comprehend why you would refuse to support such a reasonable position as to demand that Allegheny Energy conduct an independent study on the merits of High Voltage Direct Current underground technology before they submit their application to the Maryland Public Service Commission.

(Bartlett) I understand an aide has met with a member from Sugarloaf Conservancy asking for your support. I cannot comprehend why you would refuse to support such a reasonable position as to demand that Allegheny Energy conduct an independent study on the merits of High Voltage Direct Current underground technology before they submit their application to the Maryland Public Service Commission.

No decision is a decision. No comment is a comment in support of Allegheny.