Electric Transmission Lines Threaten Pennsylivania Open Space

Sign the petition by May 31

Last October, the US Dept. of Energy designated 52 Pennsylvania counties and much of the rest of the mid-Atlantic region as a target area for construction of new interstate electric transmission lines.

The National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) gives the federal government new authority to condemn land within the zone in order to locate power lines. The lines would move power from older coal plants in Ohio and West Virginia to more profitable energy markets in the northeast.

THe Pennsylvania Land Trust Association has joined the Natural Lands Trust, the Brandywine Conservancy and many national environmental organizations and state agencies to fight the policy - taking what for us is the unprecedented step of filing a lawsuit in federal court to block implementation of NIETC. Why?

New power lines could target protected lands
NIETC allows transmission companies to build new lines across protected natural areas, park lands, scenic byways, and historic sites without regard to environmental or cultural impacts.

NIETC allows federal government to ignore billions invested in preservation
Pennsylvanians have approved $1.7 billion for open space preservation and parks projects since 1989. New Jersey residents have made similar investments. NIETC gives the federal government the power to ignore this clear expression of public will and condemn lands that have been preserved through very popular state, county and local programs.

NIETC is not needed
NIETC was intended to relieve projected congestion in the electrical grid in the northeast by providing new supplies. Energy experts tell us that the analysis behind the policy is flawed and out-of-date. The market is creating its own solutions and is already bringing significantly more supply into that region. NIETC also ignores recently developed state and local energy policies calling for reduced consumption within the corridor.

There are many other reasons that we believe NIETC is bad policy. You can learn more at conserveland.org/pp/Transmission/.

Help Stop the NIETC - Sign the online petition by May 31

In a February letter to the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, 14 Senators from effected states called for hearings on NIETC. The letter was authored by Sen. Robert Casey and signed by local Senators Specter, Menendez, Lautenberg, Biden and Carper.

You can voice support for the hearings and encourage the Dept. of Energy to reconsider the policy by signing a petition on Sen. Casey's web site.

Sign today to help them reach 5,000 signatures by the end of this month(http://www.casey.senate.gov/actions/)