BUSHKILL - “We’re willing to work, but we haven’t heard anything interesting, yet”, said Bill Hopkins, a Saw Creek homeowner and on the ad hoc committee, representing several hundred upset homeowners.  A few hundred of them wearing yellow buttons, showed up for a PPL open house, at Fernwood, Wednesday night. 

Hopkins said the “Route B” power line, which would cut straight through the sprawling Saw Creek development in rapidly growing Lehman Township, just won’t work.  He claims the prospect of the line is already eroding the value of homes in the vicinity.  His is a quarter-mile from the route and he can see the old existing towers which are half the height of the 190-foot towers PPL plans.

PPL Spokesman Paul Wirth said they are willing to work with Saw Creek, but, in his words, they were “uninvited by Saw Creek at the last minute”, on two occasions in the last month.  Wirth contends it is cost prohibitive to put the line underground through Saw Creek. 

He also notes the new line and towers would use an existing right-of-way.  There would be no eminent domain acquisition of property.

Lehman Township Supervisor John Sivick says a key point of their official opposition is that Met Ed serves the area, not PPL.

That’s a claim Wirth also challenges.

“It will prevent overloads on other power lines”, argues Wirth, and that helps the region, regardless of which company serves specific areas.  “Those overloads are because electricity demand has gone up every year for the last three decades.

The well-attended open house was but one of many opportunities the public will have to comment on and off the record, before a decision is made to proceed with the line. 

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission must also give its consent.

The fight will be vigorous.  Hopkins confirmed the Saw Creek Association has formally retained renowned environmental attorney Richard Lippes, whose resume includes Love Canal and Three Mile Island.