Transource's Tall Tale

"Look, look," said Transource.  "We care about your community!  We're planting trees!"

Honestly, this public relations stunt is about as transparent as tracing paper.

Instead of reporting on the way Franklin County got tossed under the bus in Transource's settlement with York County, the media covered Transource's propaganda stunt like a trained monkey.

Transource pretended that it "donated" money "to support local conservation efforts of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed."  Is this the same watershed that it's going to degrade with new transmission on new right of way in Franklin County?  You betcha!

So, while Transource "volunteers" (wanna bet these employees were paid their normal hourly rate, which is charged to electric ratepayers, while "volunteering" for an out-of-office activity) planted 300 trees to create a future riparian buffer along the West Branch of Conococheague Creek, it still plans to destroy the mature riparian buffer along Falling Spring?

Trees and vegetation would no longer shade the stream in the area, which would damage the habitat for fish and the insects they feed on, according to Chris Rudyk, vice president of Falling Spring Chapter of Trout Unlimited. There's also a danger of defoliants running into the stream. Many defoliants approved for use in Pennsylvania cannot be sprayed in California, New York or Delaware, Rudyk said.
Warren Christman, chapter president, said blasting during construction could impact the flows to the limestone creek.

Of course!  They call it "mitigation," as if destruction of nature can somehow be negated by helping nature somewhere else.  A real nature-boosting "donation" from Transource would be if they packed up their carpet bag and hightailed it back to Columbus, Ohio.

“At Transource, we are proud to advance shared priorities like this and we understand the important role streams play in the natural ecosystem and community recreation,” said Todd Burns, director of Transource Energy.

Shared priorities?  Get outta town, Todd Burns!  Todd Burns only understands the important role streams play in the natural ecosystem and community recreation when the stream in question isn't slated to be destroyed by his company's money-making schemes.

What's the point of all this?  I'm guessing Transource's fee-fees were a bit bruised when its settlements with eastern leg parties weren't glorified by the media.  The people of Franklin County failed to lie down in front of the bus like defeated doormats.  Transource maybe thought it needed a little good press to counterbalance all the negativity stemming from its settlements.  Gagging settling parties didn't create a media lovefest.

But here's the thing.... nobody cares!  Transource shot its wad way too early.  The real negativity hasn't happened yet.  It's dangling over Transource's head like an anvil on a fraying cable, and when it drops it's going to flatten them.  What's Transource going to do when that happens?  Throw cheap candy from a garish float in a Franklin County Christmas parade?  Quick, someone think of a random act of fake charity Transource can hide behind when the anvil falls...