Lewis Opposes Allegheny Rate Hike
By JOHN WICKLINE, Staff WriterLewis County commissioners agreed Monday to solicit support in fighting a proposed Allegheny Power rate increase, saying they believe the money will be used to construct unwanted transmission lines across the area.
In a letter to the commissioners, Allegheny Power Co. announced it will be seeking the rate hike from the West Virginia Public Service Commission. Officials with the power company noted that coal prices have increased more than 200 percent since the last rate adjustment.
The increase would amount to about 18 percent for residential customers and 20 percent for commercial users.
But Commissioner Bob Rinehart believes the money will instead be used to build towers and high-voltage transmission lines from the John Amos Plant near Winfield that will supply power to the northeastern portion of the United States.
"Why should Lewis County pay for towers when it is to serve the Northeast?" Rinehart said during Monday's meeting. "The only positive thing is that we may get a couple of bucks on taxes. But if (the lines or towers) cross your property, you can declare that area a wasteland because you can't build anything on it."
Commissioner Agnes Queen said the power company will be seeking a 200-foot right-of-way across those properties, and that the federal government has passed legislation that will allow the construction of the lines to the power grid even if states oppose the matter.
Rinehart is asking other county commissions, along with the West Virginia County Commissioners Association, to voice their concerns to the PSC. He said the new high-voltage lines are even more potent than ones already criss-crossing the mountain landscape and could pose a health issue.
"Would you want to raise your children under those?" he asked.
The Upshur County commissioners discussed Allegheny's proposed rate hike last week saying they think the additional cost would hurt older residents on a fixed income.
In other matters, Lewis commissioners appointed Patrick Tomey as the county coroner. An emergency medical technician with the Lewis County Emergency Medical Squad, Tomey had sought to be the county's medical examiner. But state law prohibits counties from naming a medical examiner, as that appointment must come from the state level. Tomey has applied for that designation with state officials.
Lewis County has been without a medical examiner for years, instead having to rely on individuals from either Upshur or Gilmer counties who are not familiar with the Lewis County map.
"We would wait one hour, two hours," Tomey said. "Runs are stacking up. This way, you don't have to wait all day for somebody to come in. I hope to keep the time reasonable. If you have a crime scene, it is nice to have somebody there on time so you can preserve evidence."
The commissioners also appointed Steve Casto as the Lewis County Board of Education's representative to the county board of health. Oscar Mills was reappointed to serve on the Jane Lew Public Service District Board.
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MountainMan
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09-09-08 8:11 PM
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I hope all the counties concerned follow Lewis' lead. It's bad enough they're going to rape more of WV's land, I just can't see US paying for it.
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