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York Township resident urges Clyde to deny easement for 1 Energy/Whirlpool transmission project
Summary
At the Clyde City Council meeting, a York Township resident opposed a proposed easement allowing 1 Energy/1 Power to use the city's bike path for transmission lines, citing environmental, drinking-water and procedural concerns; council members asked follow-up questions but took no formal action.
Adam Hackenberg, a York Township resident, urged Clyde City Council to oppose an easement request tied to a 1 Energy/1 Power and Whirlpool transmission project, saying the proposal could harm migratory birds, karst geology and private wells and alleging prior legal actions and questionable business practices by the company.
Hackenberg told the council he understood the company wanted an easement to run transmission lines along the bike path and said the corridor is important for migratory birds and local tourism. He raised karst and well-water contamination concerns, saying many York Township residents rely on private wells and citing past contamination related to deep construction activity.
Why it matters: If true, the environmental and water-quality issues Hackenberg described could affect nearby townships and residents who depend on well water. He also said the company has a history of litigation, which could complicate local permitting and trust in the project.
Council members asked follow-up questions but indicated Clyde had not made any decision on an easement request. Councilman McMaster said information about surrounding communities is helpful to the council’s decision-making. Vice Mayor Black thanked the speaker for bringing information. Hackenberg said he believed some property purchases related to the project were under contract but had not been recorded in county ownership records; council members did not confirm any city-level action on property transfers.
No formal motion or vote occurred on the issue during the meeting. Council members reiterated that decisions about private developments that fall within townships are primarily township responsibilities, but they welcomed information from residents of surrounding areas.
The council did not adopt or deny any easement at this meeting. The record shows the exchange occurred during the public comment period; no staff report or formal agenda item to grant an easement was presented or voted on by the council during the session.
