House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese (D-Greene) wants the Commonwealth to join forces with other states in forming a "regional transmission siting agency."

"The federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 usurps the traditional and fundamental role of the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions to decide land use issues, including the approval and location of high voltage electric transmission lines, and subjects landowners to federal eminent domain authority," Rep. DeWeese said.

However, Congress included language in the law that gives its consent for three or more contiguous states to enter into an interstate compact to establish a "regional transmission siting agency."

"The agency would facilitate siting of future electric transmission facilities within those states and carry out the electric energy transmission siting responsibilities of those states," said Rep. DeWeese, D-Greene/Fayette/Washington. "The most important aspect of forming a compact is that member states would only be subject to Section 1221 of the law under limited circumstances."

Rep. DeWeese is seeking co-sponsors for legislation creating the Mid-Atlantic Area National Corridor Compact Act.

He also plans to reach out to officials in other states affected by the electric transmission corridor designation, including Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.

Earlier this week, U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter stopped by Rep. DeWeese's Harrisburg office to discuss the recent announcement by the U.S. Energy Department denying a rehearing of the transmission corridor designations.

For more information, visit Rep. DeWeese’s transmission line webpage.

3/21/2008