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.
Route A would be HERE 
Good morning to Route A Group.
PSE&G and PPL are effectively dividing the public forcing us to choose the lesser of three evils (e.g. Routes, A, B, and C). Editorials and Facebook sites in the Lehigh Valley (Route C) echo what your’s (Route A) say. Build in Route B, when, in fact, none of those are good options. What we need to unite all voices..in the Upper Delaware (Route A), the Middle Delaware (Route B) and in the Lehigh Valley (Route C).. to stand together and say “no” to the lines PERIOD.
I work for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network and fighting to stop the transmission lines from any crossing of the Delaware River. Because PSE&G and PPL selected Route B, that’s where our organization has been focusing its attention on. Rather than people from each Route areas saying “not in my backyard,” we need to take advantage of the NPS EIS process to have them expand their study area to include the impacts to all federal lands impacted by all the powerline projects that the Sus.-Rosleand project will connect. The Delaware River (Routes A,B or C) crossing is the link in the chain that will connect the other powerline projects to the west. If the lines cross the Delaware River, it enables all those other projects to move forward and therefore must be assessed by the NPS EIS study.
If we unite, we have a better chance to have the Park Service force the power companies to do what’s best for the mid-Atlantic energy needs, not just what’s expedient and profitable.
I am urging residents in all three Route areas to make comment to the NPS to expand the EIS scope. That’s been the primary comment from the Route B groups. We are not pushing for it to go in either Routes A or C.
We need voices pushing for expanded scoping through the EIS. We need the NPS to assess how aggressive conservation, alt. energy sources and smart grid tech to meet our future energy needs and reduce the likelihood of brown-outs will eliminate the need for the transmission lines altogether.
One woman gave testimony at the NPS public hearing in Parsippany said it (I think) succinctly…many years we have water shortages and are asked to conserve by not washing our cars, taking shorter showers, alternating days of the week to water our lawns, not getting water automatically served in restaurants, etc. We do that because we know it’s what’s needed. We wouldn’t expect the local river to be diverted just to meet our seasonal needs. Why should we expect this huge electrical powerline with its huge price tag that we all will pay for with increased rates and with a huge social and environmental impact no matter which route is chosen when the answer is a combination of conservation via mostly minor changes in our daily lifestyles and investing is new technology.
Fred
Fred Stine, Citizen Action Coordinator
Delaware Riverkeeper Network
300 Pond Street – Second Floor
Bristol, PA 19007
Main office (215) 369-1188 ext. 113
Cell (856) 816-8021 fax-(215) 369-1181
web-delawareriverkeeper.org
Remember the River http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/remember
To remind us all to Remember the River in every decision we make;
And to hold our elected officials accountable to do the same.