
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, June 27, 1993                   TAG: 9306250097
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PULASKI DOESN'T HAVE TO LIVE WITH POWER LINE

In regard to "Board supports Apco line" (May 26), stating that the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors has gone on record in support of the proposed 765,000-volt transmission line from Oceana, W.Va., to Cloverdale, there is no question as to why the Pulaski supervisors support the line. It was explained that they followed the announcement of their support with a vote to ask Apco to provide public access across some of its property in the Snowville area to Claytor Lake.

However, shouldn't it be questioned as to why their support, along with 77 other supporters (all of the 77 supporters, out of the total of 200 who are from Virginia, are from Pulaski, according to this notice) should be of value? This gigantic power line would not run through Pulaski nor affect them in any way. Their citizens are not the ones who would have to live with it.

America is supposed to have a government "for the people, by the people," run through representatives of the people, paid (sometimes exorbitant salaries) with taxes paid by the people. Yet when something comes along that affects the people, such as this Apco line, it seems that the companies, businesses and organizations with power and influence are the ones who control the choices.

The people who will be affected by this line have organized to fight it, but with such limited influence and resources, they have so little chance of even being listened to that many people who would like to fight it can't afford their time and money for what they know is a lost cause.

The people of this country lose a little more each day of their power to control or influence what affects their lives, partly because they are kept so busy just trying to survive with limited income in a country where medical technology can perform miracles but only a few can afford to even carry insurance for everyday accidents and injuries, and where everything else is out of balance, as well. The rich companies and the politicians (few of whom are for the people's interests) control everything with their money and influence, while the people have to suffer and struggle under their choices made mostly out of greed for what the ones in power want for themselves.\ Patricia Hutson and\ Junior Duncan Newport

by CNB