COPE - NO AEP 765KV

COPE (540)626-3623, email: COPE@blacksburg.net
Giles County Board of Supervisors hires lawyer!
On Feburary 19, 1998 the Giles County board of supervisors voted unanimously to pass the motion to hire William Bilenky to represent Giles county before the State Corporation Commission. This meeting also had the largest attendance of any Giles County Board of Supervisors meeting. Here is the speech that Pat Bohmer (chairperson of COPE) gave at the meeting.

Gentlemen and Ms. Hobbs thank you for the opportunity to address you this evening. I am Pat Bohmer, Chairperson of Citizens Organized to Protect the Environment of Giles County. By now you are well aware that AEP has proposed a new route for the Wyoming to Cloverdale 765kV power line. This route impacts Giles County more adversely that any other area. You have already demonstrated your commitment to preserving Giles County by your previous resolutions opposing this invasion. We thank you!

We have now reached a point where resolutions are not enough. Giles County must formally protest this devastation to the State Corporation Commission. The previously preferred corridor was bad. The now preferred corridor is worse and all of the alternatives are even worse than the preferred corridor.

Please allow me to highlight a few facts that display just how bad this route and its alternates are for Giles County.

The length of the preferred corridor in Giles is 19 miles. Alternative 2 is 24 miles and alternative 5 is 33 miles. In the previously preferred corridor the total Virginia section was only 35.8 miles.
The number of houses within 2000’ of the 1000’ corridor is 180 in Giles. Alternative 2 has 270 house and alternative 5 has 280 houses. The total Virginia section of the previously preferred corridor was 165.
The preferred corridor in Giles alone effects 4 rare and endangered species with alternatives 2 and 5 effecting 8 and 9 respectively. The entire Virginia section of the previously preferred corridor effected only 4.
Many people value Giles for its trout streams. The preferred corridor in Giles effects 2 trout streams, while the alternatives 2 and 5 effect 3 and 5. The entire corridor that was originally proposed in Craig, Boutetout, and Roanoke Counties effected 1.

I could continue citing statistics, but I think you get the picture. The original corridor was bad, the now preferred corridor through Giles is worse and the alternatives are even worse. I am sure that you have noticed a large crowd here tonight. There are people from many areas of the county in attendance. They are here to tell you they want Giles County to hire the attorney, William Bilenky, to represent us, united, as Protestants in this case. I believe that you all have received a copy of his retainer agreement and a draft of the notice of protest prior to this meeting. The deadline for filing is March 3. It is imperative that this action be taken tonight.

Because we know that you believe in the future of Giles and are good stewards of what makes this county great, we ask you to make a motion to hire Mr. Bilenky. Your vote to approve this motion is YES to the future and NO to AEP. We now respectfully ask that one of the honorable supervisors present a motion. You all will certainly want to vote YES! There is no other acceptable vote for Giles County.

Pat Bohmer, Chairperson