Reasons to we oppose the powerline OPPOSITION TO POWERLINE

For more than a decade, residents, farmers, property owners, and community leaders in Franklin County have stood together in opposition to Transource Energy's proposed transmission line project.

This is not a new issue. In 2021, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) denied Transource's application for the substantially similar Independence Energy Connection (IEC) Project 9A after determining that the company failed to demonstrate sufficient benefits to Pennsylvania consumers. Despite that decision, Transource has returned with the proposed Rice-Ringgold Transmission Line Project, raising many of the same concerns that local communities have voiced for years.

The proposed project would bring large high-voltage transmission lines and towers through some of Franklin County's most productive farmland, scenic landscapes, preserved agricultural properties, and rural communities. Yet many residents continue to ask a simple question: What benefit does this project provide to Franklin County and Pennsylvania ratepayers?

To date, no convincing evidence has been presented that the project is necessary to maintain electric reliability or that it will provide meaningful local benefits that outweigh its significant impacts.

Why We Oppose the Rice-Ringgold Project

Lack of Demonstrated Need
The project appears largely unchanged from the proposal previously REJECTED by the PUC. Residents deserve clear evidence that such a project is truly necessary before our communities are asked to bear its impacts. To date, no compelling evidence has been presented demonstrating a need for this project to ensure electric reliability or provide meaningful benefits to the residents and businesses of Pennsylvania.

Existing Infrastructure Should Be Prioritized
The proposed route traverses a region already heavily burdened by multiple existing electric transmission corridors and a natural gas transmission corridor. Before imposing additional infrastructure on local communities, existing rights-of-way should be better maintained, upgraded, and more efficiently utilized.

Threats to Farms and Rural Communities
Agriculture is the backbone of Franklin County's economy and identity. The construction of a major transmission line through productive farmland and scenic rural landscapes threatens these economic assets and the livelihoods they support.

Impact on Property Values
The project threatens the value, marketability, and future use of affected properties. As property values decline, local municipalities may also experience negative impacts to their tax base and long term economic stability.

Concerns Regarding Landowner Outreach and Acquisition Practices
Many landowners have reported concerns regarding project communications, requests for property access, and easement negotiations. Residents deserve complete, accurate, and transparent information when making decisions that may permanently affect their property rights. In the past Transource used its financial resources (at the expense of the ratepayers!) to suppress the will of the people of Franklin County by buying off resistance to the project. Transource offered a payout to an opposition group. It was turned down. But Transource did succeed in overcoming the resistance of the Franklin County Commissioners: making an agreement with them to withdraw their opposition in return for a multimillion-dollar payoff, even though the voters of Franklin County opposed this project.

Damage to Preserved Farmland
Pennsylvania taxpayers have invested millions of dollars to preserve agricultural land for future generations. Those protections should not be undermined by infrastructure projects that provide no clear benefit to the communities being affected.

Irreparable Impact on Scenic and Rural Character
The construction of large transmission structures would permanently alter the scenic viewsheds and rural character that define this region. Financial compensation cannot fully replace the loss of these community and landscape resources.

Environmental Concerns
The project has the potential to impact streams, wetlands, forests, wildlife habitats, agricultural soils,and other natural resources. These impacts deserve scrutiny and should not be accepted without clear and substantial public benefit.

Health and Quality-of-Life Concerns
The placement of high-voltage transmission lines near homes, farms, schools, and businesses raises significant concerns regarding public health, safety, and quality of life. Residents should not be required to bear these risks when the project provides little or no demonstrated local benefit.

Questionable Consumer Benefits
Claims of future ratepayer savings remain uncertain and should be carefully evaluated against the substantial costs of constructing, operating, and maintaining the project. Any purported benefits must be weighed against the financial burden ultimately borne by consumers.

Prior Project Costs and Cost-Benefit Analysis
Transource reportedly spent approximately 200 million dollars pursuing the earlier Independence Energy Connection proposal. Because the proposed Rice-Ringgold Project is fundamentally unchanged in scope and expected outcomes, petitioners contend that these prior expenditures should be considered as part of any new cost-benefit analysis. Excluding such costs could understate the true economic burden associated with the project and overstate any projected savings to consumers.

Strong Community Opposition
This project has faced consistent and organized opposition for more than ten years. Thousands of residents have attended public meetings, submitted comments, participated in legal proceedings, signed petitions, and spoken out against this proposal.

Our Message to Decision-Makers

Franklin County's farmland, communities, property rights, and rural character should not be sacrificed for a project that has failed to demonstrate meaningful benefits to Pennsylvania residents. We call upon the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to deny any application, certificate, approval, or authorization necessary for the construction of the Transource Rice-Ringgold Transmission Line Project.

By signing this petition, you are joining residents, property owners, ratepayers, farmers, business owners, and concerned citizens who believe this project is unnecessary, harmful to our communities, and not in the public interest. Add your name today and help protect Franklin County's farms, families, property rights, and future.

The following documents are printable. All completed copies of the petitions should be returned to CTPFC to be compiled and mailed to the PUC. The date of the first hearing is August 19th. It is a prehearing telephonic conference.

Download pdf of Opposition to Powerline

Download Word file of Opposition to powerline

Download pdf of Petition

Download word file of Petition