Posted on 08/11/2010 9:04:52 AM PDT by RBW in PA
PPL has sued the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area so it can trim trees.
According to the electric utility, the recreation area suggested it would require special, time-consuming permits that would delay PPL's trimming of vegetation along a 1.5-mile stretch of transmission line near Bushkill.
According to a company release, PPL said it has easement rights that allow it to trim vegetation in order to meet strict federal requirements. The company said it could face stiff financial penalties if proper clearance boundaries around the vegetation aren't met.
"It's unfortunate that we have to take legal action, but this line is a critical part of the electric grid," said David Schleicher, PPL's vice president of transmission. The company said recreation area officials initially denied access. Then for the first time, the DWGNRA told PPL that special-use permits requiring review under the National Environmental Policy Act may be required. PPL said it has been doing the vegetation work for decades without challenge or the need for special permits. The electric utility filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania on Tuesday, seeking an injunction so that vegetation work can begin.
The DWGNRA has recently resisted PPL plans to build a high-voltage transmission line through the same easement area
What about Plant’s Rights?
PPL is our electric utility. It began in a small township some decades ago and is know for providing electricity much cheaper than PECO, the utility that supplies Philadelphia and most suburbs. From what we’ve been able to see, they’re a good utility and I hope they prevail.
Shut it down for a hour or two sue to ‘safety issues’ and see how fast they move
I’ve been a stockholder of PPL for about 35 years, and it’s been a very good investment. They seem to know what they’re doing.
The title is wrong. The power company is suing a National Recreation Area, not a National Park!
So, if while the bureaucrats are delaying trimming, a wire arcs to a too-close tree and starts a fire, who gets blamed?
I’d you bet a dollar it ain’t gonna be the government weenies.
Our property is on the end of a line. There is a transformer on the pole in the front of our property. Actually, in our front yard. We have actually requested emergency trimming during periods of high wind if we observe the branches hitting the lines or coming close to the transformer. We do not want an electrical fire in our yard or an outage.
Unfortunately, I seem to recall that Clinton included some clause protecting the enviro orgs from litigation when the legislation was passed allowing them to sue corporations and government entities.
Why don’t they just tell the national forest morons to stick it and trim the trees anyway. You know that PPL would get the blame for any power outages caused by these trees contacting the line. There’s federal requirements for keeping transmission line right of ways clear, anyway. And for good reason.
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