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Commissioners discuss coordinated opposition and regional outreach on Morrill transmission project
Summary
Commissioner Bridal reported coordination with neighboring counties and suggested a regional meeting after several counties and legislators signaled opposition to the Morrill transmission project; Delegate Hillenbrand urged citizens to submit individualized comments to the Public Service Commission.
Commissioner Bridal updated the Hampshire County Commission on Aug. 26 about outreach to neighboring counties and legislators regarding the proposed Morrill transmission line project and asked whether the county should organize a regional coordination meeting.
Bridal said the proposed line would traverse multiple counties — Monongalia, Preston, Mineral, Hampshire and Jefferson — and that several counties on the proposed route had passed resolutions opposing the project. He reported Preston County had declined proposed routing options and that Mineral County had approved one potential path. Jefferson County commissioners indicated they were willing to collaborate, Bridal said.
Delegate Adelio Hillenbrand, who spoke to the commission during the item, advised constituents to submit individual comments to the West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC). "There are a 134 legislators. There are a lot more citizens in the county. Our letters to the PSC and others, they don't really carry a whole lot more weight than any individual citizen," Hillenbrand said, adding that the PSC has in some cases been receptive to public testimony in past proceedings. He recommended that citizens vary their letters rather than copy‑pasting identical text.
Commissioners discussed next steps and the value of a coordinated approach. Commissioner Bridal proposed a virtual meeting of affected counties to "speak with the same voice" and avoid piecemeal approvals that could make a route easier to authorize; several commissioners agreed to develop a letter of invitation and coordinate by email with interested county leaders. Commissioner Mance recommended reaching out to regional groups within the West Virginia Association of Counties as another possible coordination path.
There was no formal county resolution or vote on a specific stance during the meeting; the discussion produced a consensus to pursue intercounty coordination and outreach to legislators and the PSC as appropriate.
