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Article in today's Journal about the passage of SB614 (PSC reform bill) http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/533338.html?nav=5006weeblylink_new_window

Now it's going to Gov. Joe Manchin for his signature. He can sign it, ignore it (and after 35 days it becomes law), or veto it.

You can help encourage Joe to SIGN THE BILL INTO LAW.

Please call 1-888-438-2731 and ask that he sign SB614. Or send an email to Governor@wvGov.org and ask him to sign it.

Let's keep it up, folks, we've done great so far!

Thanks to all for your help in making SB614 law.
 
 
On March 9, the House Judiciary Committee passed out SB614, which means the whole House will be voting on it some time this week. The committee made a couple of technical changes. I have been told the changes were in grammar, nothing substantive, but I haven't seen the changes myself.

Here's what comes next:

The bill will be read on the floor of the House three times. The first time is just reading it as is. The second time is when amendments can be offered; we need to tell delegates to MAKE NO CHANGES! The third time it's read they vote on it. It could be voted on as early as Thursday.

Because of the technical changes, it will have to go back to the Senate to be voted on. I DO NOT KNOW if it goes straight to the full Senate for a vote or if it has to be referred to a committee again. If it's the former, we have a good chance of getting it passed; if it's the latter, there may not be time for it to get out of committee and back to the full Senate for a vote.

Now we need to contact EVERY delegate to ask them to vote FOR the bill WITHOUT AMENDMENT. Here's what I'm going to write, you can copy it if you want. I'm putting the email address of all delegates at the end; copy and paste the list into the BCC field, so it goes to each delegate individually, please.

Please vote for SB614  AS IS - when it comes to the floor of the House this week! Please do not make any changes to the bill as it came from the Judiciary Committee.

This bill will require power companies in the future to provide written notification of their application to build high-voltage power lines to landowners within 1,100 feet on either side of the proposed line, at least 30 days before the Public Service Commission closes the intervenor filing period. It will give landowners time to decide if they wish to participate in the PSC process and protect their property rights. This is common courtesy.

The bill also would require the PSC to document in future how their decision on these applications benefits West Virginia and its citizens. This is common sense.

Thank you for protecting the rights of West Virginia landowners.


[Then sign your name and town]

Here's the email list (you may need to check the spacing between names):

doug.skaff@wvhouse.gov, mhunt@markahunt.com, larry.barker@wvhouse.gov,  
bonnie.brown@wvhouse.gov, mike.caputo@wvhouse.gov,barbaraf@mail.wvnet.edu,
 linda.longstreth@wvhouse.gov, ashook@mail.wvnet.edu, ssusman@mail.wvnet.edu,
 bill.hamilton@wvhouse.gov,mmany@mail.wvnet.edu, chmarsh@mail.wvnet.edu, 
margaret.staggers@wvhouse.gov, lawrencefordelegate@hotmail.com, 
johndoyle@wvhouse.gov,jeffeldridge96@yahoo.com, bob.beach@wvhouse.gov, 
marypoli@mail.wvnet.edu, sshaver@mail.wvnet.edu, kominar@verizon.net,
kcraig1@mail.wvnet.edu, gbutcher@mail.wvnet.edu, nancy.guthrie@wvhouse.gov,
 vmahan@mail.wvnet.edu, bpaxton@mail.wvnet.edu,dwalker@mail.wvnet.edu, 
mcgeehan@mountainsp.com, jhshott@mail.wvnet.edu, dale.martin@wvhouse.gov, 
carol.miller@wvhouse.gov,brent.boggs@wvhouse.gov, t.hutchins@wvhouse.gov, 
mike.ferro@wvhouse.gov, jellem@mail.wvnet.edu, john@overington.com,
pschoen@mail.wvnet.edu, rschadler@comcast.net, tim.miley@wvhouse.gov, 
Harold@hardynet.com, danny.wells@wvhouse.gov, mikeross@mail.wvnet.edu, 
wrwooton@mail.wvnet.edu, jfrazier@mail.wvnet.edu, cmoore@mail.wvnet.edu, 
kelli.sobonya@wvhouse.gov,rswartzmiller@hotmail.com, tennis@mail.wvnet.edu, 
rgivens@mail.wvnet.edu, orphy.klempa@wvhouse.gov, svarner@mail.wvnet.edu,
dpethtel@mail.wvnet.edu, roger.romine@wvhouse.gov, lireland@mail.wvnet.edu,
eanders1@mail.wvnet.edu, bordel@mail.wvnet.edu,tazinger@mail.wvnet.edu, 
dan.poling@wvhouse.gov, bashley@mail.wvnet.edu, mcarmich@mail.wvnet.edu,
troy.andes@wvhouse.gov, ,jim.morgan@wvhouse.gov, terry.walker@wvhouse.gov, 
wduke@mail.wvnet.edu, waltduke47@aol.com, jonathan@delegatejmiller.com,
craig@delegatecraigblair.com, dcowles@mail.wvnet.edu, ruth.rowan@wvhouse.gov,  
aevans@mail.wvnet.edu, lwillia1@mail.wvnet.edu,tmanchin@manchin-aloi.com,
whocann@mail.wvnet.edu, rfragale@mail.wvnet.edu, iaquinta@mail.wvnet.edu,  
peggydonaldsonsmith@wvhouse.gov,bill.hartman@wvhouse.gov, ,
jtalbott@mail.wvnet.edu, sargento@mail.wvnet.edu, armstead@mail.wvnet.edu, 
patrick.lane@wvhouse.gov, ronwalte@mail.wvnet.edu, meshea.poore@wvhouse.gov, 
hatfield@mail.wvnet.edu, delspencer@aol.com, 
tlouisos@mail.wvnet.edu,d.perry@wvhouse.gov, tom.campbell@wvhouse.gov, 
rcanter1@mail.wvnet.edu, rickymoye@wvhouse.gov, lsumner@mail.wvnet.edu, 
gcrosier@mail.wvnet.edu, tporter@mail.wvnet.edu, djhall@mail.wvnet.edu, 
lgphill@mail.wvnet.edu, hkwhite@mail.wvnet.edu,
 rrodigh@mail.wvnet.edu,jstowers@mail.wvnet.edu, Speaker.Thompson@verizon.net, 
dperdue@mail.wvnet.edu,delegatedoug@yahoo.com, DelegateStephens@comcast.net 

~Patience Wait, Outreach Coordinator
 
 
Yesterday, HB 4403 passed out of the House Energy, Industry and Labor Committee by a very strong margin.   This victory is due to the many calls and emails of support the committee members received from all of you!  We thank you for taking the time to support this bill which requires notification of property owners.

But, we're not done yet!  HB 4403 has been sent to the House Judiciary Committee where it must be put on the agenda for a vote and sent to the full House for a vote by next Wednesday, March 3.

Please call or email Delegate Miley, the committee chair, and ask him to put it on the agenda ASAP.  His contact info.:  Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3252 or email tim.miley@wvhouse.gov

You may also contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee so that they will vote in favor of it when it is put on the agenda.  Here's a link to contact info. for all committee members: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/committees/house/HouseCommittee.cfm?Chart=judweeblylink_new_window

We also need to help shepherd Senate Bill 614 through the Senate Judiciary Committee.  We had hoped to see it on the agenda yesterday while some of us were in Charleston, but it did not make it.  Call or email Senate Judiciary Chairman Jeff Kessler Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7880  E-mail: jeff.kessler@wvsenate.gov and ask him to put it on the committee's agenda.  You may also email the committee members and urge them to support it.  Here's a link to the list: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/committees/senate/SenateCommittee.cfm?Chart=judweeblylink_new_window

We're so close to success, please don't drop the ball now!  Thanks for all your support!  Together we are making a difference to reform the PSC so that landowners affected by future transmission line projects will receive timely notification.
 
 
Our two state senators, John Unger and Herb Snyder, have introduced Senate Bill 614, to change how the Public Service Commission handles applications for high-voltage transmission lines. There are two provisions:

(1) "Within five business days of filing an application, the applicant shall serve notice by certified mail on all owners of surface real estate that lies within one thousand feet of the center line on both sides of the proposed transmission line as currently shown on the records of the respective county clerk, as well as operators of all currently producing oil or gas wells that lie within one thousand feet of the center line on both sides of the proposed transmission line."

(2) "Will economically, adequately and reliably contribute to meeting the present and anticipated requirements for electric power of the customers served by the applicant or is necessary and desirable for present and anticipated reliability of service for electric power for its service area or region: Provided, That the commission includes written findings articulating how its decision is made in the best interest of West Virginia customers to meet the present and future needs and reliability of service for West Virginia customers."  [Everything from "Provided..." on is added by SB614]

You can see this addresses two of the biggest challenges we've faced in fighting PATH - the lack of notification to landowners near the proposed route, and that PATH provides no benefit to our state.

This legislation will NOT change anything in our battle against PATH - the application is already in process, so it will be handled based on existing regulations - BUT it will provide protection for West Virginia citizens facing future projects. And we all know there will be more lines proposed in the future!

Now we need your help!

SB 614 has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but it has not been placed on the committee's agenda for consideration yet. It has to be passed in the Senate no later than March 3 - so we need you to contact by phone and/or email all the members of the Judiciary Committee! They are:

Sen. Jeff Kessler, Chairman (Marshall Co.) - 304-357-7880, jeff.kessler@wvsenate.gov
Sen. Michael Oliverio, Vice Chairman (Monongalia) - 304-357-7919, michael.oliverio@wvsenate.gov
Sen. Richard Browning (Wyoming) - 304-357-7807, richardbrowning@verizon.net
Sen. Truman Chafin (Mingo) - 304-357-7808, truman.chafin@wvsenate.gov
Sen. Dan Foster (Kanawha) - 304-357-7866, daniel.foster@camc.org
Sen. Evan Jenkins (Cabell) - 304-357-7956, evan.jenkins@wvsenate.gov
Sen. William Laird (Fayette) - 304-357-7849, william.laird@wvsenate.gov
Sen. Joseph Minard (Harrison) - 304-357-7904, joe.minard@wvsenate.gov
Sen. Corey Palumbo (Kanawha) - 304-357-7854, corey.palumbo@wvsenate.gov
Sen. Herb Snyder (Jefferson) - 304-357-7957, herb.snyder@wvsenate.gov (be sure to thank him!!)
Sen. Ron Stollings (Boone) - 304-357-7939, ron.stollings@verizon.net
Sen. Bob Williams (Taylor) - 304-357-7995, bob.williams@wvsenate.gov
Sen. Jack Yost (Brooke) - 304-357-7984, jack.yost@wvsenate.gov
Sen. Clark Barnes (Randolph) - 304-357-7973, clark.barnes@wvsenate.gov
Sen. Frank Deem (Wood) - 304-357-7970, fdeem@mail.wvnet.edu
Sen. Mike Hall (Putnam) - 304-357-7843, delegate200@hotmail.com

I didn't list Sen. Don Caruth of Mercer County, even though he's on the committee and the Senate Minority Leader, because he's fighting a brain tumor. If you want to express your wishes for a speedy and thorough recovery, his office is 304-357-7901, don.caruth@wvsenate.gov.

You can contact Sen. Unger to thank him at 304-357-7933, john.unger@wvsenate.gov.

You should write in your own words. I would say the key message is that this bill is about good government - these changes are intended to provide West Virginia citizens the opportunity to get involved and protect their properties, and to make sure the needs of West Virginia citizens are considered first.

If you've already contacted delegates about House Bill 4403, please note that THIS IS A DIFFERENT BILL. Both the State Senate and the House of Delegates are considering legislation. Both houses eventually have to agree upon the same bill, but for now we improve our chances by having a bill working its way through the Senate.

For more information, check out Bill Howley's blog at http://calhounpowerline.wordpress.com/ - he's got a diary about this (and earlier diaries about HB 4403). And the Martinsburg Journal wrote about Sen. Unger's bill in Saturday's paper - http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/532193.html.

If you have family and friends living in counties represented by these gentlemen, forward this to them and ask them to contact them, too! It's important that they hear from AS MANY PEOPLE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE!!

Thanks for lending your voice to this. If you have questions, don't hesitate to contact me or any members of the Executive Committee - Roger, Keryn, Debbie, Robin, JP, Sandie, Cathy, Steve, or Larry.

Patience Wait, Outreach Chair 
 
 
Action is needed to help get HB 4403 moving through the WV House. Please copy the following message or write your own email to the following delegates - also call them and repeat your message of support for this bill. A few minutes of your time can make all the difference. Thanks everyone!

Delegate Barker
larry.barker@wvhouse.gov
(304) 340-3149

Delegate Shaver
sshaver@mail.wvnet.edu
(304) 340-3146

Please place HB4403 on the Energy Committee's agenda for a vote as soon as possible. I support this bill because written notification to property owners at the time of filing an application with the WV PSC is a critical piece missing from WV law. Also, West Virginia electric rate payers should not be subsidizing transmission line projects that benefit electric companies in other states. Accelerated rate recovery should only be available to power projects that help West Virginians and strengthen reliability of service in West Virginia. 
 
 
There is a new post on the Calhoun Powerline asking for every West Virginian's help in contacting legislators in Charleston to advance HB4403.  The purpose of this bill is to stop accelerated rate recovery because of adverse effects of constructing transmission facilities and revising the definition of need.  The bill also requires the power companies to mail notification to all property owners within one mile of center line.

Read the post http://calhounpowerline.wordpress.com/2010/02/10/first-transmission-legislation-of-the-new-wv-session/ and contact the legislators.  Bill Howley makes it easy!