Editor's Note: Virginia is trying to steal some of our land. It has now come to light that they had a "corrected" survey run that took part of our land away from us on Top Allegheny while Griffith was on watch. She said nothing about it! Was she going to let them get away with this thereby taking millions of dollars of revenue away from us in taxes, etc? If a windfarm is built up there, the property taxes could be worth a fortune!

Big discussion on martinsaffer.com

She refused to write letters to discuss the matter! Sound likes she wants the thieves to get away with this!

Top News August 6, 2009
HIGHLAND RECORDER
Pocahontas officials not happy about being left out of wind energy plans, change to state line

By Anne Adams • Staff Writer

Marlinton, W.Va. — West Virginia might have something to say about Mac McBride’s plans for a wind energy utility in Highland County after all.
Thursday, Highland resident Dan Foster was invited to speak to Pocahontas County Commissioners, addressing his concerns for Highland New Wind Development’s project impacts on Camp Allegheny — the Civil War battlefield site is in Pocahontas, less than a mile from where HNWD’s 400-foot turbines are planned for installation. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is owned by Monongahela National Forest and one private landowner. It is considered by Civil War historians to be the most pristine, intact Civil War battlefield in the U.S. because nothing about the site has changed since the early 1800s.

Foster told commissioners about the difficulties Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources has had in obtaining final site plans, view shed studies, and archaeological surveys from HNWD, as required by Virginia’s State Corporation Commission. The SCC granted HNWD a state permit in December 2007.

This week, Foster said Pocahontas officials shared his concerns for the landmark battlefield, and intended to write to McBride, HNWD owner, and agency officials in both states. “They said they were invited to the public hearing (in Virginia) early on but decided not to go because it was a sort of ‘theoretical’ project at that point; they didn’t have a final site plan,” Foster said. “And now that there is a site plan, they felt they wanted to comment on that … they agreed they are an entity that has standing in this.”

HNWD did not submit a final site plan until Monday, Aug. 3. That plan has been changed as late as Thursday, Aug. 5, but was approved by Highland County officials within hours of being submitted last Monday, leaving no time for any agency or official to review it.

Last week, Highland supervisor Robin Sullenberger said one turbine tower situated near the West Virginia line was not within the county’s required 1,600-foot setback from U.S. 250, but said it was not an issue for Highland officials. “I don’t know about how West Virginia does things, but they were contacted early on in this process and they did not choose to get actively engaged … We don't deal with property on the other side of the state line and we have no indication they are concerned,” he said then.
One concern is “ice throw.” Industrial wind turbines are known to have ice freeze on their blades, which gets tossed when the blades are spinning.

Highland supervisor David Blanchard, however, told his colleagues weeks ago, when HNWD was re-drawing the state line to account for one tower, that someone needed to make sure West Virginia didn’t have a problem with that. He even wrote a letter to county officials before the site plan was approved, saying he believed it was in the Highland’s best interests to make sure HNWD moved the tower, its foundation, and its blades entirely out of West Virginia to avoid any conflicts.

Highland attorney Melissa Dowd, on the other hand, said her research showed that Virginia has no standing in issues affecting West Virginia, and advised Highland officials they had not authority or concern about West Virginia property.

Foster said Pocahontas commissioners are concerned, not just about the Civil War battlefield, but also about environmental issues like potential harm to endangered species. One of the proposed towers is so close to the border with West Virginia that its blades will spin across the border, in West Virginia air space, thought still on property owned by McBride.

Foster said commissioners felt strongly enough about it that during their meeting lunch break this week, they drafted two letters — one to McBride, and one to the SCC and relevant agencies in both states. “Two of them felt the project should be stopped at least until the West Virginia State Historical Preservation Office got a chance to review and comment on the project,” Foster said.

One commissioner, Rita Griffith, was not inclined to go that far and did not vote in favor of the letters, Foster said. “She felt maybe it was enough to just move a couple of those towers,” he said.
Attending the meeting was Mr. Riley, part owner of the battlefield, and Richard Laska, and adjoining landowner.

“Mr. Riley said he wasn’t opposed to the project at first,” Foster explained, “but then he said, ‘When Mac McBride stood on my land and said this battlefield is insignificant, well, it upset me.’ Mr. Laska said he felt the project would devalue his property.”

What impressed Foster, though, was the decisive and immediate action of the Pocahontas commissioners. “The main discussion was about what to write, and it’s the first time I’ve seen any supervisors or commissioners just sit down, all of them putting their heads together and trying to logically come to a decision. There was no lawyer there telling them what to do; it was a very measured response, and there was a range in what their thinking was,” Foster said. “But they cooperated, and wanted to do best for their state.”

Commission president Martin Saffer told The Recorder Friday he and his colleagues had deep concerns about the project, though one of them disagreed as to the next step, and level of approach in the matter.
“I’ve lived in Pocahontas County since 1972,” he said, “and I became a commissioner a couple of years ago and now I am president. This county is one of the most beautiful places I have ever see, and I’ve been all around the world.”

Saffer noted the county’s “rock solid” tourism economy, and beautiful rolling farmland. He said its economy is sustainable as long as its assets are protected, and one of those assets is the Camp Allegheny battlefield, where many early Pocahontas and Highland men fought and died. “That battlefield has, as its backdrop, the Allegheny Mountain ridge, the line between Virginia and West Virginia,” he said. “It’s my understanding now that the battlefield has become much more historically significant, as looked at by scholars … it’s an important area of history.”

He also pointed to Pocahontas’ rich history, from the home of Pulitzer Prize winner Pearl S. Buck, to the Droop Mountain battlefield and park, and all its pristine rivers and streams. “We are really extremely lucky,” he said. “And this project is of no advantage to Pocahontas County.”

He said the towers could adversely impact property values, tourism, historic assets, and the quality of the environment. Potential “ice throw” is a safety concern for West Virginia travelers on U.S. 250, where at least one turbine is closer to that primary high way, he said.

Birds and bats, including endangered species, do not respect state property boundaries, he added. “Wildlife migrates; they don’t recognize those lines,” he said. “If bats leave a West Virginia cave at night and get killed by turbines in Virginia, that impacts us.”

Further, he said, “We feel as county commissioners that we must act on our own due diligence to protect Pocahontas and West Virginia … we were not fully included in our due process rights.

“We have an interstate commerce issue here. All the impact is on us, and all the benefits are on you (Virginia). There is absolutely no positive for us. It’s all negative.”

Saffer explained the issue had only recently come to his attention. “I know this is 11th hour, but we just now learned about this,” he said.

When HNWD had a local surveyor relocate the state line differently from U.S. Geological Survey maps, he said, that, too, became an issue. “Excuse me,” Saffer said, “but I think that’s a big concern … who says the USGS survey is wrong?”

He has contacted the West Virginia Attorney General about the matter, and says he believes West Virginia deserves a chance to have a say in how the project is planned.

“We need to have a talk — Virginia to West Virginia,” he said. “We need to understand that one state needs to be a good neighbor to the other … It’s almost as though Virginia acted as if West Virginia doesn’t exist.”

Saffer and the commission reviewed correspondence exchanged with Virginia’s DHR, and the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office. Saffer called the exchanges “mild” and “milk toast,” saying the agencies have to be that way sometimes. “But when the rubber hits the road, somebody has to say something,” he said. “This is a matter of grave concern to us … I intend to make sure we are completely involved in the process.”

The Pocahontas commission sent 10 letters out Friday — to everyone from the West Virginia Attorney General to the SCC and Highland’s board of supervisors.

The first letter, to HNWD owner Mac McBride, stated, “The Pocahontas County Commission is very concerned that the currently proposed wind turbine project on Allegheny Mountain will have a negative impact on Camp Allegheny and the environment. Of equal concern is the apparent lack of West Virginia and Pocahontas County in the dialogue and planning of this project to the extent that our due process rights as a state and county have been infringed upon and overlooked. Accordingly, we want the opportunity to participate as stake holders and not be mere observers. Due process requires that we have a full and complete discussion with you concerning the impact of the project in our State and to formulate with you a plan to address them.

This process necessarily requires that sufficient time be allotted before breaking ground. We also believe that the expected negative economic impact on tourism and land values raises concerns regarding interstate commerce. At the outset, we request a meeting with you at the earliest opportunity.”
The letter, from the commission, was signed by Saffer, as president, and it was copied to several agencies, along with the message to at least nine other officials and agencies, including the SCC and Highland board of supervisors, with a cover letter, which read: “As you may read in the attached letter (to McBride), the Pocahontas County Commission is very concerned about the wind turbine project on Allegheny Mountain. The commission believes that there has been little involvement of state agencies in the discussion concerning the impacts of this project in West Virginia. Projects of this scale should be reviewed by all our state agencies dealing with the environment and history. We urge your agency to take an active role in the process of protecting West Virginia. Please contact our office at your earliest opportunity as ground breaking is imminent.

HNWD has already moved excavation and road-building equipment to the site this week, and has told Highland officials it intends to start construction as soon as possible.

“When you stand there (on Camp Allegheny), if you squint a little,” Saffer said, “you can see all the way to Heaven from there. I don’t want to be seeing some 400-foot wind tower with blades spinning. What if they’d put those next to the Great Pyramids in Egypt? What if they put them up at the Vietnam veterans’ memorial? There are just certain areas that must be held sacrosanct,” he said. “There is nothing — and you can underline that — nothing positive coming to the State of West Virginia from this.”

Unless wind conditions are favorable, the Great Pyramids or Vietnam Memorial are not in play. This reasoning is typical lawyer speak.

The accurate survey is of concern. Just as WV does not want Virginia to control issues in our state, WV or Pocahontas Co. should not try to control what is going on in another state or county.

Back to the issue of property rights and states rights. Saffer is not consistent on these issues and Fleming just follows along in Saffer’s foot steps. The County could save money if they just go with two commissioners and let Saffer vote twice. Road cuts, bridges, buildings, houses, cell towers, and many other things are in my view shed, but the property owners have the right to build them. They pay taxes on that property and it should give them rights.

Norman while Rita does not vote your position, she does vote on behalf many Pocahontas County residents.

Norman, if you want to vote on the commission, run for office and try to get elected.

Norman was elected to the County Commission in 1988,served for 6 years, and has also run for the County Commission in 1994,2000 and 2006.

Obviously the people of Pocahontas County felt like Norman he did not represent their interests in his term in office and they chose not to reelect him.
Now given the fact that Norman supports the actions of Saffer and Fleming, do they represent the majority of Pocahontas County Opinion?

What consitutes a crisis, what constitutes a crisis in one's mind, may not be a crisis in another's mind.

Ok so......... how did this turn into a Norman bashing thread again? I was kind of thinking that this was yet another issue with Reta..... NOT Norman! Listen guys and gals (yes that includes even you Shiner..... somehow) this county (and now STATE apparently) has a lot bigger issues than Norman Alderman "sticking his nose in..." county/state affairs. Reta has been a no good, backstabber WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY before Etater ever came in existence! She's not in the commission for the best interest of the county and it's citizens! She's in it for her own agenda and ego!

They were elected by good majorities! The one with the beard beat me! That ought to tell you something!

Inner layer: You just did what You you accused me of doing. As far as the interests of the county, Saffer has narrow views that are born with in himself and not that of the citizens best interests.
As far as many bashing Norman, it must be that they don't like his tatics for his bully pulpit.

Ok, let me understand the rules of etator.
1. Since Norman own's etator, he can bash anyone he wants.( Rita sets on her hands in crisis) He started this thread and instead of stating the facts and leaving it there he started by bashing Rita which he he has done in other posts against alot of different people.
2.Do not post anything that may be against someone that Norman supports, but you can post anything you want as long as it supports Norman's position.
3.The inner layer and Norman will march in lock step.

Thanks for clearing that up.

Oh, I almost forgot, this is a true jouralistic thread. And I sure am glad Saffer and Norman have no ego. Have you ever thought that Fleming's twitter is to a select few. If he really wanted to get this information to the public he would publish a transcript.

Well if this is your logic, Jonese and Price were elected also, and with your support I might add.

I was pointing out the misused logic that Saffer presented about the pyramids, unless as CC he wants to control that area too. I will give the fact that I may have bashed Saffer.

The Inner layer did make a good point about issues, but the CC needs to take care of their own issues before the venture over into Va.