And now ….. we wait

The National Park Service is in the midst of its preliminary review of information received during the public comment period, which has now closed.

In the meantime, track this NPS page for updates on the power line project. We are unlikely to see any significant developments until fall, and even then, the NPS review will continue as it narrows down the available options.

Many, many thanks to those who made their views known to the NPS on this vital issue.

The final day to comment ….. act now!

We have until midnight Friday — that’s it! — to comment on plans for a power line crossing over the Delaware River and Appalachian Trail.  GO HERE NOW to comment to the National Park  Service on the adverse socioeconomic, environmental and scenic impacts of such a crossing.  MIDNIGHT FRIDAY is the deadline for all comments to be registered with the NPS.

This is like voting, my friends. If you don’t speak up now, don’t complain when a power line crew shows up at the 3-lane by the campground. Get involved now!

The final days

We are down to the final days — until midnight Friday — to register your comments with the National Park Service as to the impacts of new or expanded power line crossings of the Delaware River and the Appalachian Trail.

Things to consider in your comments include: the impact on scenic resources and viewsheds (like a watershed, but in reference to the view); the impact on natural plant and wildlife resources; the impact on protected sites like the Delaware River or species, like the bald eagle. Another possible aspect is the impact on socioeconomic resources. In any case, PLEASE comment before midnight Friday.

To see the Park Service background page on the project, which also has links to a raft of other resources, GO HERE. Among other documents, the Park Service has prepared a thorough ‘scoping newsletter’ (pdf link from this page; 2.2 megs).

Again, read the background. Get involved. Comment.

Here’s what you can do now:  

• Call our congressman (Rep. Chris Carney) and senators (Sen. Casey and Sen. Specter).
• View the NPS documents on the project.
• Comment to the NPS (use the link in upper right when you open the page).
• If you’d like to help, or have other questions, email us.

UPDATE: Comment period extended!

We have late word that the comment period for power line review now being conducted by the National Park Service has been extended by ONE WEEK, to midnight March 12.

It’s still critical that you register your thoughts; but you have a few more days to gather them if you haven’t.

GO HERE NOW to register your views with the National Park Service, which is the agency now reviewing the power line plans. Again, all comments MUST be registered by midnight, Friday, March 12, to be considered by the NPS.

If you would like to see the Park Service backgrounder page on the project, go here. It will give some idea of the issues the NPS is considering in ts review, especially if you go the documents section and review the ‘internal scoping report’ and the ‘scoping newsletter.’

The final countdown!

Friends, we are down to the final hours to register your opposition to new high-voltage transmission lines crossing the Delaware River and the Appalachian Trail.

GO HERE NOW to register your views with the National Park Service, which is the agency now reviewing the power line plans. All comments MUST be registered by midnight, Friday, March 5, to be considered by the NPS.

If you would like to see the Park Service backgrounder page on the project, go here. It will give some idea of the issues the NPS is considering in ts review, especially if you go the documents section and review the ‘internal scoping report’ and the ‘scoping newsletter.’

But don’t wait; please act right away.

4 days left! Register your comment NOW

We are down to just four days left to comment. All those who wish to make their views heard by the National Park Service must do so before midnight on March 5 — Friday!

To register a comment with the NPS, go here now. Before commenting, you may want to read the NPS document about impacts the NPS has identified so far. It will give you a flavor of some of the things on the NPS radar.

PLEASE, please, please, alert your friends and neighbors to also comment soonest. The impacts on natural and scenic resources of Route A would be disastrous — don’t keep silent.

Opposition builds, but NPS may still win out

Opposition across the Milford and Shohola region to Route A is building. Watch for large No Route A signs to appear shortly in Shohola and at the River Beach Campground.

YOU MUST register your opposition by March 5th. GO HERE, the link is straight to the NPS comment page. 

But make no mistake, this will not be easy and it’s far from a foregone conclusion. Route B opponents (Route B is the route through the Water Gap and the recreational area) have done a very effective job of painting all power line objections here as stemming from a “not in my backyard” sentiment.

Also, please tell our federal lawmakers of your views. (Why federal? Because they set the Park Service budget!)

Reach Rep. Chris Carney by email here; or fax him here: 202-225-9594.

Here’s Sen. Arlen Specter’s site, and Sen. Robert Casey’s.

Pike Chamber head to testify

Danielle Jordan, executive director of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, is to testify at this evening’s NPS hearing on the power line project. (2-18-10) See the chamber site here, and reach Danielle by email here.

Again, the SINGLE most important thing you can do right now is comment to the NPS, BEFORE March 5. Pay particular attention to the impacts outlined on pages 4 and 5 of the ‘scoping newsletter,’ available at the NPS site. Viewsheds, scenic resources, socioeconomic impacts, and so on.

URGENT …. your comment needed now at NPS site!

Out of the NPS hearing last night (2-16-10) in Bushkill, this is clear: Your voice is urgently needed to register comments with the NPS. The deadline is March 5.

Here’s how. Go to this NPS site to register comments. Remember, your comments MUST be registered by midnight on March 5. These comments will help the NPS build scenarios for the ‘public alternatives workshop,’ slated for fall 2010, and for the draft Environmental Impact Statement,’ slated for summer 2011.

Don’t wait: register your comment now. If you encounter any difficulties, or have questions, just email me.

Links to hearing coverage

All,

Here are some links to the coverage of the NPS public hearing on 2-16-10. Geoff Peckham and I attended this hearing in Bushkill, as well as David Jones and his mother, Ruth Jones, of the Kittatinny campground along the three-lane (which Route A would bisect on its way across the Delaware).

Save for one power company representative and one from PJM (the regional grid operator), every single speaker was in opposition, many of them in vigorous opposition. Several said that the plans for this line were built on ‘greed, not need.’

Check these links for more coverage:

• Pocono Record (story and photo).
• Earlier story from The Morning Call in Allentown.
• Channel 16, WNEP (story only; video not appearing).
• I’m not seeing a story yet, but I know Channel 13 was there.
• Earlier story from The Pike County Press.
• I know that the Pike County Dispatch has a new story this week; but it’s not online at this moment.

More updates as they’re available.