PJM Meeting Aftermath

Here's another letter to PJM's Board of Managers, one that comes AFTER Tuesday's 8 hour Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee meeting.

If you attended that meeting hoping your participation could affect change, you can share this attendee's pain and disillusionment.

PJM deserves every.last.word of this letter...

​Dear Board Members,

I was a phone call member for yesterday's meeting. Yep, the entire meeting. I listened to the initial acknowledgement of the hundreds of letters you received. The slight defensive tone was hard to dismiss. I heard what was said about "once the Board approves the plan" more opportunity will arise for the public to voice there concerns. I also did note, you welcomed phone calls in and then moved onto your presentation. 

I listened to the need to retire some equipment nearing the end of it's life and the need for the massive output in the near future. I heard quotes of millions of dollars being passed around like Monopoly money, if I'm honest. We all know the true source of those finances. I also heard how and why we need the additional extensions and how soon those should be in place.

What I felt was completely ignored was the elephant in the room; the people being effected by this massive build. I followed Keryn Newman's line of questioning perfectly; what happens to the folks who loose their drain fields or the viability of their wells with the expansion process? The gentleman couldn't answer. He didn't have one. Crickets. What happens to the woman off Short Hill Mountain that already puts up with these towers and now is possibly slated for an extension to run south off her property as well. Where are the studies to show the placement of these towers are safe for Indigenous wildlife, showing it's safe for children playing near by, and even equally important, how the people living in these paths are supposed to maintain their quality of life.

It was evident that more studies for an accurate path were formulating and town halls were going to be promoted, BUT, the cow will be out of the barn at that point. Once a project is passed rarely are we able to go back and discount it. I felt the meeting was merely checking boxes; you allowed public transparency, as well as opportunities to ask questions, placated opposition and now you were simply going to proceed how you initially wanted. Us be damned. 

PJM, please find another way to get your power where it needs to go. I think the township of Waterford has the most serious claim, HOWEVER, that does not make the rest of us of less value. I implore you to do the right thing.