From the May 18, 1994 edition of The New Castle Record
An official from the National Park Service is not enthused about the idea of a high voltage power line crossing the Appalachian Trail.
Pamela Underhill, who heads the AT for the Park Service, told a group of about 70 land owners from Virginia and West Virginia that the whole idea of the Appalachian Trail is to be a walkway through unspoiled, natural beauty, removed from industry and commerce. She said she is most reluctant to see another power line crossing visible from the trail.
If Appalachian power Co. builds a proposed 765-kilovolt power line from Oceana, W. Va., to Cloverdale, it will have to cross the AT.
A likely crossing point would be in western Craig County. The AT also crosses U.S. 220 within a mile of the Cloverdale substation.
Underhill spoke to land owners and opponents of the power line at a meeting in Waiteville, W. Va., last week.
She answered questions written and sent to her by the Border Conservancy, raising issues about statutory responsibility of the Appalachian Trail in consideration with the Appalachian application.
Underhill said the Park Service was involved early in the siting process, pushing for four crossing points at locations where the Trail was already degraded by highways and industry.
None of these crossing points was utilized in the route proposed by the team from Virginia Tech and West Virginia University which recommended a path for the line.
She said the environmental study included in Appalachian’s application was “badly flawed.” She said the Park Service is seeking to correct errors and omissions in that study with the Environmental Impact Statement now being prepared by the U.S. Forest Service.
Mike Dawson of the local AT Club and Jim Hutchins of the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club accompanied Underhill to Waiteville.
Monroe County resident Kermit Porterfield thanked Underhill for coming to meet with concerned citizens.
“This proposed power line is the ruination of our community,” Porterfield said. “You’re the first government person to come and hear our concerns. We thank you for coming here tonight.” –CPCC report
-Prepared by Shelly Koon
