ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, May 9, 1996 TAG: 9605090078
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHARLESTON, W.VA.
SOURCE: Associated Press
The U.S. Park Service has ruled that a high-power transmission line proposed by American Electric Power Co. cannot cross the New River in two counties, U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall said Wednesday.
The utility wants to run the 765,000-volt line more than 100 miles from Cloverdale, Va., to Oceana, W.Va.. It would cross the Jefferson National Forest, the Appalachian Trail and the New River.
AEP says it needs the line to meet future customer demand in the region. Opponents say the line would damage pristine areas.
Rahall, D-W.Va., said the Park Service recently decided the line cannot cross the river in Summers County, W.Va., or in Virginia's adjacent Giles County north of the U.S. 460 bridge.
At the request of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, AEP in March filed a proposal for an alternative route that would veer south of the U.S. 460 bridge. That route would not conflict with the Park Service's decision.
The alternative route brings the line through much more of Giles County and is designed to avoid Craig County's scenic Sinking Creek Valley.
Cliff Shaffer, leader of an opposition group to the power line in Giles County, said that a regional Park Service official recently wrote to Bill Damon, supervisor of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, to say the Park Service objects to AEP's original plans for the river crossing. Damon is leading preparation of a report on the line's environmental impact on federal lands and the New River that is due out this summer.
Because of the Park Service's decision, opponents are resigned that the line's new route will be through Giles County but intend to continue opposing it, Shaffer said. They are left in the awkward position of having to fight the new route through Giles County even though it hasn't been officially approved by state and federal agencies, he said.
AEP spokesman Ron Poff in Roanoke said it was unfortunate that the Park Service focused only on a small segment of the 115-mile project.
``The better environmental approach would be to consider the river crossing issue as part of the complete route. We would not want to see a greater overall environmental impact due to this one factor,'' he said.
A message left Wednesday seeking comment from a Park Service spokesman in Philadelphia was not immediately returned.
Staff writer Greg Edwards contributed to this report.
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