LETTERS
Headwaters of Tohickon Creek
PPL markers through wetlands. right-of-ways (ROW) in the headwaters of the Tohickon, in wetlands and woodlands, and the costs related to maintaining the natural environments versus a commercial route. The costs and risks to the environment were left out of the analysis, and it’s worth underscoring that these costs would be permanent – as in irreversible, which contrasts with one-time costs for installation in other routes – if truly more expensive. I did not see that the PPL analysis included all the important cost and risk factors, such as costs to suppress vegetation with herbicides in sensitive wetland environments – habitat for native species; nor did I see an adequate description of downstream risks to groundwater or flooding – or the impact on the quality of life and the historic character of Bucks County. Noting that purity of groundwater is critical to rural communities and that scientific models that assess safety of exposures cannot account for cumulative long-term effects. We should also consider that payment to residents for ROW does not mitigate the loss of value to those who live in sight of transmission lines, noting that this cost effect has been validated in at least two large studies – and these costs are not accounted for. We need PPL to provide power infrastructure, truly, but should the process allow PPL to use its power to forcefully promote one route over another – to decide what location best serves the public interest? I think the public should be mindful that PPL is a for-profit entity (sales in year 2000: $5.6 billion) and its primary mission is not to protect public resources. There's a need for an independent assessment of costs and impacts for each high voltage transmission route, and we should not take the word of PPL as final. If we default to what is “preferred” by the utility company we will look back and wonder what became of our beautiful community and natural places. Karl Schwartz Springfield Township
Transmission line plan has potential for bias
In a recent public statement on the merits of the cross-country route, Pennsylvania Power and Light (PPL) asserted, “Installing the line in either the rail corridor or along Route 309 would cost more than double the cross-country route, about $31 million and $25 million, respectively, and that those costs could be passed on to customers.” I would caution PPL customers and residents of Bucks County to be mindful that this cost assessment is based on PPL's analysis, which could be biased by an earlier decision to purchase a much larger-than-needed 82-acre tract of land within the crosscountry route. That is, to find otherwise would be to admit the purchase of land for the substation – a $2 million purchase – was a mistake. I'm not an expert in this area, but I had opportunity to review the application, and found the exhibits on costs to be indecipherable – bundles of unstructured facts and tables, but no side-by-side comparisons – hiding more than it clarifies regarding relative costs. For example, I could not find information about the cost for a substation land on the SEPTA or 309 routes – which could be many times less expensive; nor did I see any itemizing of ongoing maintenance costs in the cross-country route, relative to costs of maintenance in the alternative routes – such as costs to create and keep open access routes to
What could have been should have been
“What Could Have Been,” Regina Young’s brilliant article in the May 8 issue should serve as a wakeup call to everyone. The slow dissection and relocation of the stunning horse barn built by Peter Edwardson at the corner of Aquetong and Meetinghouse roads is sad, and an outrage. Every citizen of Solebury is responsible for allowing this to happen. We elect and pay the township officials who permitted the construction of a true showplace, and then revoked that decision. The same officials permit the ongoing visual blight of large developments and inappropriate faux-chateau construction throughout Solebury. Meanwhile, we annually approve more and more tax dollars to purchase and protect our visual area. Does anyone see the irony? A beautiful, first-class equine farm
increases the value of our entire community. Can you say the same for the expansion of the Giant shopping complex, or the serene rolling fields and stately mature woodlands infected by developers? Wake up Solebury. Bruce Long Solebury Township
Little progress made in stemming floods
I have lived away from Lambertville for several years. I recently returned and am glad to be back.
In catching up on town affairs, I am struck by changes – some positive, others not so positive. I am disappointed we have made little progress in stemming man-made floods. This includes lowering the three Delaware River basin reservoirs and the enactment of safety voids. I also am let down by our elected who have remained silent on the issue of lowering the reservoirs. Since the first flood in 2004, Mayor Del Vecchio and City Council have been missing on the issue. They have not spoken out, nor have they joined other municipalities in taking a stand on lower reservoirs.
Lower reservoirs and safety voids are good things. They are easy to enact, and don’t drain precious taxpayer dollars in tough financial times. The mayor and city council’s silence is peculiar. For many, it raises more questions than it answers. I moved back to Lambertville because of its beauty and great people. Let us stand in solidarity to stop recurring floods. We owe it to each other to lower the New York City reservoirs. Mr. Mayor and Lambertville City Council this includes you too. Lynn Kline Lambertville, N.J.