Stop Transource Franklin County is a group of concerned citizens working to stop the Transource Independence Energy (IEC) Power Line Project from being approved and built through the center of Franklin County. We care deeply about preserving Franklin County's economic stability, cultural heritage, rural beauty, and landowner's rights.
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September 19, 2024 News:
STFC is hosting a public on October 7th, at 6PM at the New Franklin Community Center Blding # 2, located behind the firehall off New Franklin Road. Recent developments in the powerline will be discussed, and hopefully some of your questions answered. Hope to see you there. Feb 26, 2024: Latest on Transource's efforts to reverse PUC rejection
History: In May 2021, following years of hearings, letter writing, and testimony, Stop Transource Franklin County and other interested parties were rewarded for their efforts when the PUC denied the Independence Energy project. Transource appealed that decision at the PA Commons court level and the PUC decision was upheld in May of 2022. Transource filed an action in the federal district court seeking to have the PUC decision set aside on the grounds that they were preempted by federal authority and violated the United States Constitution Commerce Clause. The parties in these two cases were Transource vs the PUC. Fast forward to present: In December 2023 the Federal District court ruled in Transource’s favor and found that the PUC’s decision did violate the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, and returned the case to the PUC for reconsideration, (The court did not "approve" the project.) The project will also have to clear a new PJM benefit-cost analysis. The PUC is appealing this most recent decision to the Federal Third Circuit Court of Appeals. While STFC is again not a party to the case, we have retained a lawyer and are in the process of filing an Amicus Brief. Filing an amicus brief allows someone who is not a party to the case but who has a strong interest in it to offer the court information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case, and hopefully influence the court. The decision on whether to admit the information lies at the discretion of the court. The timetable for this case has been pushed into May after the PUC was granted a 60 day extension. In addition to this ongoing appeal process, we expect that very soon Transource will file with the PUC asking them to reverse their original denial. When that happens there will be a need for all parties to file opposition at the PUC level. It appears there will be a short comment period where the public can also comment. We thank all of you for your past support, without which we would not have had the history making decision in1021. In light of these recent developments, we are again asking for donations to offset legal fees going forward. We will keep you updated. Upcoming Event: Golf Tournament Fund Raiser October 28th
We are looking for both sponsors and players for our upcoming golf tournament fundraiser at Penn National. You can find all the details at the following link on the Franklin County Visitors Bureau website. www.explorefranklincountypa.com/home/golf-tournament/ |
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May 24, 2021
A milestone has been reached; a mountain climbed. Last Thursday, May 20th the Pennsylvania PUC unanimously accepted ALJ Elizabeth Barnes opinion and order on the Transource LLC powerline siting application and denied all applications associated with the project, and to revoke Transource’s Certificate of Convenience to operate as a public utility in Pennsylvania. They agreed with Judge Barnes’ assessment that the project “appears to be a means for a foreign electric transmission provider to gain access to the Washington, D.C./Baltimore metro area while subsidizing its costs through Pennsylvania.” It feels good to be on the right side of the truth, but it has come at a cost. Our legal fees continued to mount throughout the last year and some months of covid-19 shut down, and we still need your help to close out our account. Please consider donating to our fund. All monies collected go to pay our legal costs. Latest as of June 24th in the case before the PUC:
A procedural schedule has been set for upcoming evidentiary hearings on the Power Line case. The dates have been set for July 9 & 10th, 2020. The hearings will be held via business Skype starting at 10 AM on both days. Hearing Update, Monday, March 16th:
Due to the COVID-19 Virus Emergency the PUC Offices are closed. The telephonic Prehearing Conference has been postponed, at least until mid April. We will post more information as it becomes available. Latest on March 18th Hearing:
In response to the COVID-19 threat the public hearing has been converted to a Call-In Telephonic Prehearing Conference. If you are a party to the case you will or have received a notice. There is a limited number of spaces available, approx 20. If you are willing to abide by the decisions made regarding the procedural schedule going forward, ALJ Barnes asked that you do not call in. NEWS FLASH: The Franklin County Commissioners lodge official protest to the IEC Project. The full text of their protest can be read here.
Prehearing Conference scheduled for Wednesday, March 18th at 10 AM in Harrisburg
Purpose: Discuss Joint Amended Application of Transource and set calendar for the remaining hearings. Please consider attending. If you need a ride contact us. We are coordinating car pooling. 02/11/2020
Feb 13, 6 PM -Take a Stand against Transource Power Line Project Stop Transource Franklin County is organizing a PEACEFUL protest against the Power Line. You may have heard recently that Transource has announced a partnership with a "local" contractor (Harlan Electrical out of Harrisburg) for the power line construction. They are jumping the gun as the project has not been approved yet. In fact a new round of hearings is scheduled to begin in March, on their amended applications. (More on this in a later email). They also are holding a "meet and greet" in Chambersburg on Thursday February 13th for local businesses who may want to be part of the project. It is being held from 6 PM to 8 PM at the Clarion Inn and Suites, 1123 LWE, Chambersburg. (Please note: In a show of solidarity, the Orchards Restaurant declined the opportunity to host this event). STFC is staging a peaceful presence outside the venue to show Transource and anyone who shows up to meet Transource that our community stands united in strong opposition to this project being constructed in our valley. If you are able to participate just show up at the Clarion a little before 6 PM this coming Thursday. If you still have any of our signs bring them along. Thanks for your continued Support Revised IEC East Project (York County) October 2019
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Stop Transource Franklin County would like to acknowledge the following Organizations, Businesses and Individuals who are supporting our effort to stop the IEC Power Line Project. We know this list is not complete, and also thank the hundreds of Franklin County residents (both present and past) not named here who have also contributed to the cause.
Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce Chambersburg Area School District Board of Directors Greater Waynesboro Area Chamber of Commerce Quincy Township Supervisors Franklin County Area Development Corporation Orchard’s Restaurant Franklin County Visitors Bureau Penn National Golf Course Community Keystone Ford Brim Builders, Inc F&M Trust Forrester Farm Equipment Franklin Logistics Gabler Inc Geisel Funeral Homes Jennings Chevrolet of Chambersburg Stouffer Mechanical Contractor Mann Plumbing and Heating, LLC Nitterhouse Concrete ReMax Realty Star Insurance The Butcher Shoppe Brandale Contractors Chambersburg Waste Paper Willow Creek Pottery Ricecrest Farms Gear House Brewing Falafel Shack Roy Pitz Brewery Pugh & Sons Farm Stable Shakers Chambers Apothecary Rob Kauffman, PA Representative 89th District Antietam Dairy Patriot Federal Credit Union Route 30 Beer Dream Farms Bistro 71 Bentwood Smokers Eichholz Flowers Quick Release Bicycles Heart & Soul Salon and Wellness Norland Pub Benny’s Italian Restaurant Inka Kitchen Charlie and Susie Tornetta Eugene and Karen Strite Larry and Eileen Houska Melodie Anderson Smith The Mowers Vince Cayhill and Claire Hunter Susan Benedict | ||||||||
Gov. Tom Wolf of PA issues order
Read Governor Tom Wolf's executive order to reduce CO2 emissions in Pennsylvania. It is time for Gov. Wolf to take a stand against this project which will result in increased electricity generation and its inevitable air pollution in Pennsylvania for the benefit of consumers outside Pennsylvania.
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Stop Transource Franklin County is comprised of concerned citizens working to stop the Transource Independence Energy (IEC) Project. We care deeply about preserving Franklin County's economic stability, cultural heritage, rural beauty, and landowner's rights.
What we face: Transource proposes to build unsightly and damaging 135-foot tall high voltage towers, spaced 5-7 towers per mile, across 29 miles of private lands, commercial properties, neighborhoods, school property, and untouched greenspace in Franklin County.
Not only is this land grab a BAD idea, it is totally UNNECCESARY- a "market efficiency project" designed solely for company investor's profit and to supposedly save a few cents for rate payers in MD, VA, and DC, while devastating our lands and burdening our County tax base.
Transource is trying to seize and condemn our lands through eminent domain, even though the goal of this project is FAR from being in the public's best interest.
This proposed project does NOT benefit Franklin County. In fact, the residents of Franklin County will only suffer if this project is approved by the PA Public Utility Commission (PUC), as these looming towers and zapping transmission lines will decrease property values, damage the environment, contaminate our watershed, negatively impact tourism, agriculture, and recreation, and forever destroy the landscape of our beloved Cumberland Valley surroundings.
Not only is this land grab a BAD idea, it is totally UNNECCESARY- a "market efficiency project" designed solely for company investor's profit and to supposedly save a few cents for rate payers in MD, VA, and DC, while devastating our lands and burdening our County tax base.
Transource is trying to seize and condemn our lands through eminent domain, even though the goal of this project is FAR from being in the public's best interest.
This proposed project does NOT benefit Franklin County. In fact, the residents of Franklin County will only suffer if this project is approved by the PA Public Utility Commission (PUC), as these looming towers and zapping transmission lines will decrease property values, damage the environment, contaminate our watershed, negatively impact tourism, agriculture, and recreation, and forever destroy the landscape of our beloved Cumberland Valley surroundings.
