Franklin County Commissioners Voice Citizen Concerns and Oppose the Transource Project

The Franklin County Commissioners are responding to citizen concerns over the Transource Independence Energy Project, a high voltage transmission line that will pass through approximately 24 miles of Franklin County.

In November 2017 and February 2018, Franklin County submitted residents’ concerns to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Since then, Franklin County Commissioners have continued to receive correspondence from landowners and residents concerned with loss of land ownership, productive land, as well as income for farmer landowners.      

According to the Transource project application, the transmission line is proposed to include 162 installations of 135 foot structures, stationed 800 feet apart. Citizens are concerned about the ecological impact of these structures on local natural resources and are worried about the negative impacts on the county’s rural landscape.

County representatives attended Transource project meetings and researched the impact and benefit of this project on the county. Having found no definitive evidence of benefit to the people of Franklin County, the Commissioners moved to formally oppose the Transource Independence Energy Project at a board meeting on Thursday morning.

“Today’s action is reaffirming our support for Franklin County residents and their concerns,” stated Commissioner Chairman Dave Keller.

Commissioner Bob Ziobrowski commented, “I’m not convinced that this power line is in the public interest, not to mention Franklin County’s interest.”

Commissioner Bob Thomas requested a map of the transmission line route to be added to the County’s Facebook page to raise awareness of this issue. “There is no benefit to local residents at all,” he said.

For more information on the Transource Independence Project and how it affects Franklin County visit: http://www.stoptransourcefranklinco.org.

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