Transmission line troubles Southwestern Pa. residents - Tribune-Review/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Marty Howsare and his wife spent weeks examining topographicalmaps of the area within 15 miles of Washington, Pa., then visitingcorresponding hilltops, looking for just the right location.

Five years ago, they found the spot to live, a hilltop in NorthBethlehem Township, four acres along Dutch Glory Road, nine milesfrom the nearest post office in Amity.

'We were looking for a hilltop with south and west (sun)exposure,' Marty said. 'When we saw this, we just fell in love withit.'

Now, after five years of spectacular sunsets, after sharing hislawn with deer, coyote and fox, after watching geese fly directlyover his home's rear deck, Howsare must consider something newsoaring over his home: 500,000 volts of electricity.

'They could bisect my house with the transmission line,' Howsaresaid, sitting at his kitchen table, looking out at hills and avalley as pretty as a proverbial picture. In fact, the amateurartist is finishing a charcoal drawing of the exact image.

Howsare's property lies in the way of one of the largesttransmission power line projects Pennsylvania has seen in decades.Proposed by Allegheny Energy Inc., the Tran-Allegheny InterstateLine would stretch 240 miles from Southwestern Pennsylvania, throughWest Virginia before ending in Loudoun County, Va., near Washington,and linking with Dominion Virginia Power.

The Pennsylvania portion includes some 37 miles of the 500,000-volt line, between a pair of to-be-built substations, includingPrexy, in North Strabane, Washington County, and 502 Junction, inDunkard, Greene County, near the West Virginia border.

Allegheny Energy's portion of the $1.3 billion total cost isabout $850 million, with the project slated for completion by 2011.

A dozen public meetings chaired by state Public UtilityCommission administrative law judges begin today, with the firstfour slated at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. today and tomorrow at theWashington County Fairgrounds, Building 2, at 2151 N. Main St.,Washington.

Howsare and many of his neighbors in North Bethlehem admitthey're suspicious of Allegheny Energy's plans, and wonder of theneed for the line and the nearly 200 towers needed withinPennsylvania alone.

'They (Allegheny Energy) say the line is needed, but I questionthe need,' said Pamela Seibel, a Howsare neighbor and 25-yearresident on Dutch Glory Road.

The concerns and questions are nothing new to Allegheny Energy,which has on its side the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, theNorth American Electricity Reliability Corp. and PJMInterconnection, the entity charged with operating the region'spower grid.

'The biggest misconception in Western Pennsylvania is that poweris moving out of Western Pennsylvania,' said Allegheny Energyspokesman David Neurohr. 'Power will be moving north, from the 502(substation) to Prexy (substation). The power is needed inWashington County.'

Power needs in Washington County during the past six to eightyears have been growing at about 4 percent annually, AlleghenyEnergy contends. And with new commercial development around theMeadows race track, and other projects -- such as the $404 millionVictory Centre, including a Bass Pro Shop and Tanger Outlets,planned or under way along Interstates 70 and 79 and Route 19 -- theGreensburg-based utility says the current power transmission systemwasn't built to handle the growth.

Mack and Lois Conkle built their home along Sunedecker Road inNorth Bethlehem 55 years ago. They admit it's no fun being withoutpower, having endured a multi-day outage years ago due to stormdamage, but still aren't convinced the new lines are required.

'I'm on the fence, I don't know which way to go,' Lois said.

'I'm worried about the health implications of the power lines,the impact on our resale value (home and 11 acres of property), andwhat the project will look like,' said Melanie Soares, who livesdown the hill from Howsare, on Mong Drive. 'One of the reasons wemoved here almost four years ago was the view.'

'The scientific studies don't support any connection between EMF(electromagnetic fields) and long-term health effects,' Neurohr said.

Howsare's quest to find the perfect spot to build his house tookmonths, but if Allegheny Energy's objective to build newtransmission on or near his property is successful, the 59-year-oldis prepared to move.

'I never would have moved here if I knew they were going to bebuilding transmission lines in the area, I never would have done thework I did. Of course, I couldn't stay,' Howsare said.