As part of the PATH permitting process, we are seeking approval to route the line across and adjacent to federal lands which include the:
- Monongahela National Forest;
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail;
- Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail;
- C&O Canal National Historical Park; and
- Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park.
As part of this process, the PATH team is conducting information gathering studies across a large portion of the area of the proposed route in order to provide data to the federal agencies required for their evaluation. We are seeking permission from property owners along the proposed route and some adjacent land owners to gain access to their property to conduct these surveys and environmental studies.
In particular, we have members of our permitting team working to identify any wetlands, archeological resources, and any rare, threatened or endangered species that are present along the proposed route.
The sentence above highlighted in red is the
big, fat lie.
The Federal Environmental Impact Statement, which is being conducted by the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service, is so early in the process that the scope of the study has not even been defined yet, much less at the field research stage. The Federal EIS is being conducted by CH2M Hill, a contractor selected by the Federal agencies, and NOT Louis Berger Group.
Meanwhile, PATH contractor Louis Berger Group is conducting their own "studies" at the direction of PATH that have NOTHING to do with the Federal EIS. I assume they think that the "information" and "data" they gather can be used in the future to influence the Federal study once it is underway. If they think the Feds are just gonna roll over on this, they have another think coming. Need I mention that the cost of the REAL Federal EIS is being billed to PATH (who in turn charges you for it in your monthly electric bill). In addition, PATH's FAKE EIS "studies" conducted by Louis Berger Group are also being charged to you in your monthly electric bill by PATH. The end result is that you get to pay TWICE for environmental studies!
So, PATH and Louis Berger Group are lying about conducting environmental surveys as part of the Federal process. Just say NO to PATH and Louis Berger Group -- and yes to the REAL Federal contractor, when the process gets to that point many months from now.
You know what happens when you tell a lie:
When you stretch the truth, watch out for the snapback.