Pocono News Section

A Megawatt Headache in the Poconos

A Megawatt Headache in the Poconos - Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at 5:37PM EST

Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Wednesday, Nov 12, 2008 @ 05:37pm EST
LEHMAN TOWNSHIP - PIKE COUNTY - An electric company is preparing to cross a Pike County community with about four miles of giant power lines.

The electricity in those lines will be sent out of state.

About 150 homes sit along the route in Saw Creek Estates. Residents there want to stop the project.

A proposed PPL Power Line expansion in the Saw Creek Estates community upset a lot of people "Everybody in the community has health concerns," said Al Spinelli who lives near the lines.

He and his wife Elizabeth welcomed a new baby named Maddox just eight weeks ago. They worry the electric company proposal could hurt him.

"There tends to be a lot of clusters of breast cancer and childhood leukemia around the lines," explained Elizabeth.'

When the Spinelli's bought their home the power lines in the back yard didn't bother them too much. But now PPL wants to make those lines much bigger so they can carry half a million more volts than they do now.

"It's scary. It's scary," remarked Elizabeth.

The current electric towers in the development are are 85 feet tall. The proposed new ones are more than double that at 190 feet. That's almost as tall as the statue of liberty.

"These towers are going to jut 100 feet above the average tree line around here so you will see them from all over Saw Creek," said Al.

It won't be easy for the Spinelli's to move. People who live near the lines are already having trouble selling homes. Rod Haas said, "The lines never really impacted our decision to buy here in the first place but now they're certainly going to have an impact on our ability to sell."

Potential buyers tell Haas they don't want to live near an expanded power line. So he and other community members have gathered to try to cut power to the project and work on an alternative.

Rocco Pannozzo summed it up, "Stop the lines. Relocate the lines or bury the lines."

PPL says it will work with the community to cause as few problems as possible. But residents aren't taking chances. They've retained well known environmental attorney Richard Lippes. He fought a similar project in New York State as well as problems with Three Mile Island and the Love Canal.

The Pennsylvania Utility Commission will hear public comment on the issue next year.