We've had multiple reports recently that FirstEnergy (possibly masquerading as your local electric company, Potomac Edison) has been sneaking around Jefferson County, knocking on doors and trying to get landowners to sign permission forms allowing the utility to perform its "surveys" outside the existing easement, on the landowner's property instead. It has also been reported that people are being approached by telephone.
One person even reported that the utility representative said the company would be seeking to expand its easement and he would be delivering an offer soon.
Just say NO!
You are not required to permit the company on your property... and that is why they need your permission to do it. Don't give away your property rights like that!
What's a survey? In addition to the normal metes and bounds survey you're probably thinking about, transmission developers also want to do environmental, historic, cultural, and geotechnical surveys. The environmental surveys are looking for the presence of certain bats, or turtles, or other endangered species. They are also looking for wetlands and other land features. They are looking for historic resources. They want to dig and perform archeological surveys. And they want to bring large equipment on your property and drill core samples to see if it's possible to anchor a giant transmission tower foundation 30 feet down. Sometimes, they need to cut trees and vegetation to get a line of sight (or so they've told the landowner). If you want to open your property up to a parade of people using it for transmission development surveys, then go ahead and sign their form. Otherwise, tell them to get lost and come back when they have a permit from the West Virginia Public Service Commission (WV PSC) in their hand.
FirstEnergy does NOT have a permit from the WV PSC at this time. In fact, FirstEnergy has not yet even applied for a permit. In order to apply for a permit, the company is required to undertake community engagement (dissemination of project information to the public such as meetings, routes and maps, newspaper articles, a website, informational mailers). FirstEnergy hasn't even done that yet. Instead, it wants to divide and conquer landowners, keep them isolated and uninformed, and get them to sign away their rights for pennies on the dollar.
Why is FirstEnergy so afraid of us? Because last time they tried to build an unneeded transmission line here, they lost! There's power in numbers and information sharing between neighbors. There's power in grassroots community opposition, and we need to circle the wagons to keep our community safe. Don't let FirstEnergy's representatives cut you from the herd and isolate you from your neighbors. Tell them to stop calling and/or get off your property until they have a permit to build their transmission line from the WV PSC.
There's a rhythm to planning and building a new (or even re-built) transmission project. The FIRST thing the utility usually does in your local community is schmooze your local elected officials and try to get them on their side. That ship has sailed here in Jefferson -- we beat them to the County Commission and FirstEnergy has provided absolutely ZERO information to our local government.
The SECOND thing the utility usually does is to schedule what it calls "Open House" public information "meetings." They really think one trip around this room is all it takes to turn you from transmission skeptic to transmission advocate!
One person even reported that the utility representative said the company would be seeking to expand its easement and he would be delivering an offer soon.
Just say NO!
You are not required to permit the company on your property... and that is why they need your permission to do it. Don't give away your property rights like that!
What's a survey? In addition to the normal metes and bounds survey you're probably thinking about, transmission developers also want to do environmental, historic, cultural, and geotechnical surveys. The environmental surveys are looking for the presence of certain bats, or turtles, or other endangered species. They are also looking for wetlands and other land features. They are looking for historic resources. They want to dig and perform archeological surveys. And they want to bring large equipment on your property and drill core samples to see if it's possible to anchor a giant transmission tower foundation 30 feet down. Sometimes, they need to cut trees and vegetation to get a line of sight (or so they've told the landowner). If you want to open your property up to a parade of people using it for transmission development surveys, then go ahead and sign their form. Otherwise, tell them to get lost and come back when they have a permit from the West Virginia Public Service Commission (WV PSC) in their hand.
FirstEnergy does NOT have a permit from the WV PSC at this time. In fact, FirstEnergy has not yet even applied for a permit. In order to apply for a permit, the company is required to undertake community engagement (dissemination of project information to the public such as meetings, routes and maps, newspaper articles, a website, informational mailers). FirstEnergy hasn't even done that yet. Instead, it wants to divide and conquer landowners, keep them isolated and uninformed, and get them to sign away their rights for pennies on the dollar.
Why is FirstEnergy so afraid of us? Because last time they tried to build an unneeded transmission line here, they lost! There's power in numbers and information sharing between neighbors. There's power in grassroots community opposition, and we need to circle the wagons to keep our community safe. Don't let FirstEnergy's representatives cut you from the herd and isolate you from your neighbors. Tell them to stop calling and/or get off your property until they have a permit to build their transmission line from the WV PSC.
There's a rhythm to planning and building a new (or even re-built) transmission project. The FIRST thing the utility usually does in your local community is schmooze your local elected officials and try to get them on their side. That ship has sailed here in Jefferson -- we beat them to the County Commission and FirstEnergy has provided absolutely ZERO information to our local government.
The SECOND thing the utility usually does is to schedule what it calls "Open House" public information "meetings." They really think one trip around this room is all it takes to turn you from transmission skeptic to transmission advocate!
FirstEnergy has not announced any public meetings yet. In fact, there's no indication that it ever will happen at all. It seems FirstEnergy has skipped some steps because contacting landowners and asking for permission to survey typically comes AFTER these meetings, the publication of a website, news articles, and community notification through postcards or other mailers.
What kind of dirty deeds and misinformation is FirstEnergy spreading in our community that can't stand the sunlight of public scrutiny?
Over the years, I've assisted communities on so many transmission projects that I've come to know the "utility playbook" for ramming a new transmission project through a resistant community by heart. However, it seems the utility has updated their playbook lately, and I'm gonna call it "Utility Playbook - Desperation Volume 2.0". The new volume dispenses with public information and preys on landowners (that's right, I said PREYS) to get then to sign away their rights before they have necessary information to make a reasoned decision.
There's another community to our north in Pennsylvania that seems to be experiencing an identical transmission project information desert populated by the same shady characters approaching landowners and saying the most outrageous things, such as:
What kind of dirty deeds and misinformation is FirstEnergy spreading in our community that can't stand the sunlight of public scrutiny?
Over the years, I've assisted communities on so many transmission projects that I've come to know the "utility playbook" for ramming a new transmission project through a resistant community by heart. However, it seems the utility has updated their playbook lately, and I'm gonna call it "Utility Playbook - Desperation Volume 2.0". The new volume dispenses with public information and preys on landowners (that's right, I said PREYS) to get then to sign away their rights before they have necessary information to make a reasoned decision.
There's another community to our north in Pennsylvania that seems to be experiencing an identical transmission project information desert populated by the same shady characters approaching landowners and saying the most outrageous things, such as:
“People are trying to take approximately 5 acres of my property and giving me absolutely no information,” she said. “They’ve called me, and they want to do a survey, but they won’t give me any information.”
Sound familiar? Or, how about this?
“(PPL) was asking if (residents) would sign a document and if they didn’t sign the document, they couldn’t tell them about the project, I’m being told,” Walsh said. “Other people were being offered crazy low value for property.”
He said at least 10 people told him of instances like this....
Enticement to sign away your rights to get information? That's plainly criminal.
FirstEnergy needs to pull its camel nose out from under the wall of Jefferson County's tent. We're not stupid, and we're not for sale. Creating an information desert is about the stupidest stunt they could perform. They must have signed with Charles Ryan again to get such stellar advice! I know how much FirstEnergy loves to read my blog, so here's a word to the wise. GET BUSY WITH THE INFORMATION. THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE WORSE IT'S GOING TO BE.
And while we're waiting... let's hold our own informational meeting for the community! Everyone is welcome to join us on April 29 at 7:00 p.m.! FirstEnergy spies at the meeting will be separated from the herd and given last year's Halloween candy and bottled water from Jefferson County's underground pollution plume. I can spot you guys a mile away. Dork has a certain fashion sense that's impossible to hide. See you there, everyone!
FirstEnergy needs to pull its camel nose out from under the wall of Jefferson County's tent. We're not stupid, and we're not for sale. Creating an information desert is about the stupidest stunt they could perform. They must have signed with Charles Ryan again to get such stellar advice! I know how much FirstEnergy loves to read my blog, so here's a word to the wise. GET BUSY WITH THE INFORMATION. THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE WORSE IT'S GOING TO BE.
And while we're waiting... let's hold our own informational meeting for the community! Everyone is welcome to join us on April 29 at 7:00 p.m.! FirstEnergy spies at the meeting will be separated from the herd and given last year's Halloween candy and bottled water from Jefferson County's underground pollution plume. I can spot you guys a mile away. Dork has a certain fashion sense that's impossible to hide. See you there, everyone!
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