ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, September 28, 1996 TAG: 9609300029
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
Despite adamant objection from Giles County, the New River Valley Planning District Commission on Thursday passed a resolution supporting American Electric Power Co.'s preferred route for a 765,000-volt power line.
Bill Freeman, chairman of the Giles County Board of Supervisors, had argued against the regional commission passing a resolution that might be construed to speak for all local governments, especially because his board recently passed a resolution totally opposing the power line.
Freeman said the Giles County board feels so strongly that it may drop out of the regional planning commission in reaction to Thursday's vote.
AEP wants to build a 115-mile line from Oceana, W.Va., to Cloverdale. En route, it would cross 12 miles of national forest land, the Appalachian Trail and a scenic portion of the New River in West Virginia that is being considered for federal protection.
In June, the Forest Service made a preliminary decision to forbid the power line to cross the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. A final environmental impact statement will not be issued by the Forest Service until Virginia's State Corporation Commission and West Virginia's Public Service Commission rule on the need for the line.
Though the utility company's preferred route avoids the New River Valley, several alternative corridors pass through Giles and Montgomery counties.
"The Giles County resolution indicated we are opposed to the building of the line, period. We feel it is not necessary at this time," Freeman said.
"I suggest we take the stand of [taking] no stand. My county is so opposed to it that I doubt that they would stay here," as a member of the Planning District Commission, Freeman said.
Freeman said he had no objection to individual local governments passing resolutions about the power line.
"I do object to ... putting one out as a regional planning district resolution that's opposed" to one of its members' position.
His effort to have Giles County's resolution attached to Thursday's resolution garnered only his vote.
The resolution to support AEP's preferred route passed 10 to 1, with Joe Weddle, a town of Pulaski representative and an AEP employee, abstaining. Evelyn Janney, a Floyd County representative to the board, also abstained.
Planning District Commission members appeared to empathize with Freeman in his effort to take a stand for Giles County, but said future power needs and the possible effect on economic development meant they had to support the line.
Radford Mayor Tom Starnes said his City Council recently "had to spend $3 million to upgrade the electric feed coming into the city as a result of increased electrical demand. We as a community need to do what has to be done even though it might not be a pleasant decision."
Joe Sheffey, chairman of the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors, sees the power line as an economic development issue.
"In order to enhance economic development, companies need power. That's the bottom line. Without this power line, our board feels that it could cause some harm," Sheffey said.
Henry Jablonski, chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, said it would be unfortunate if Giles County dropped out of the regional commission. Regardless of how votes turn out, the county's input is needed on the commission, he said.
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