Homeowner Concerns

Feb 16, 2024

Find the printable pdf version of this page here.

Economic Concerns

Property Values: Several research papers have assessed the impact of High Voltage Lines on property prices. Overall, it is estimated that a property may lose between 10-30% of its value with the introduction of a High Voltage Transmission line.

Disturbance of the scenery: The main reason why power lines make your property worth less is simply because most potential buyers don’t like how they look. Not only are power lines not visually pleasing, but they ruin views. Sound plays just as big of a factor as sight. If a property is too close to a power line, the residents have to listen to the humming sound they produce when trying to relax in their own backyard.

Insurance and Liability: We don’t know yet if a powerline will impact your home insurance fees. According to the Kentucky Revised Statutes, utility companies may be held liable for damage caused to your property due to negligence or accidents. The types of damage caused by utility companies are extensive and include broken water mains, erosion under driveways, fallen branches, and fires caused by downed wires.

Environmental Concerns

Water Quality: The proposed transmission line will go through the watershed of Owsley Fork Reservoir, a source of drinking water for Berea and also much of Madison County. As the land under the powerlines is maintained, either with chemicals or mechanically, the process poses a threat to our whole community’s water quality.

Soil Impact and Chemical Runoff: There has been a rising concern around a shift in utility company practices, suggesting that in the last couple of years, they have been using a stronger mix of herbicides, leading to higher toxicity remaining in the soil and air, and damaging soil and flora health. When landowners agree to pesticide-based maintenance, they will not have any control over the frequency and quantity of pesticides that are put on their land – unless this is negotiated within the contract, and the hired maintenance company is regularly overseen by the property owner.

Fire: High voltage powerlines can cause wildfires through a variety of mechanisms such as downed lines, vegetation contact, and conductor slap. In 2011, a Madison County substation exploded when a snake climbed into the equipment. According to a news article from The New York Times, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has proposed to bury 2,000 miles of power lines to reduce the risk of wildfires in fire-prone areas. The cost of this project is estimated to be $5.9 billion, but the company claims that nearly the same amount will be saved from not having to maintain poles and easement vegetation.

Noise: High-voltage power lines have a constant humming noise which can disturb your own enjoyment of your property. According to Scientific American, the audible noise emitted from high-voltage lines is caused by the discharge of energy that occurs when the electrical field strength on the conductor surface is greater than the ‘breakdown strength’.

Long term use of the lines: When the Berea Mayor and City Council hosted a public working meeting in October, 2023, EKPC stated that there would be no additional distribution line or feeder lines from the new substation. Will EKPC put that in writing? Additionally, will EKPC allow cryptocurrency or data mining companies to tap into the substation? These facilities generate loud noise and use tremendous amounts of energy and water. What guarantees do residents have that this will not be permitted?

Invasive Plant Species: Invasive species are non-native organisms that can cause harm to the environment, the economy, or human health. They can outcompete native species, kill native plants and trees, destroy habitats, and over-predate native species within a particular area, potentially throwing an entire ecosystem out of balance. Approximately 42% of threatened or endangered species are at risk due to invasive species. Examples of invasive plant species in Kentucky are Kudzu, Honeysuckle Bush, and Japanese Knotweed. When land is cleared for the powerlines, heavy machinery and pesticides are typically used to control invasive species.

Endangered Species: Kentucky is home to a number of endangered and threatened species of plants and animals. The Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves maintains a list of such species, which includes over 200 plants, animals, and natural communities. To gain attention within the Environmental Impact assessment, state-level concerns are offered no protection in these cases. Federal Level endangered species will trigger a change in how the project is perceived to impact the environment, but state-level concerns are still worth shouting about to PSC.

Federally endangered bat species known to be in the area are the Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalist), and the Northern long-eared (Myotis septentrionalis).

If you are interested in finding out which bats live on your property, or would you like for local ecologists to visit your land and document any endangered species you have… Please reach out to StopTheBigHillLine@gmail.com, or the Facebook Group facebook.com/groups/thebighillline or leave a voicemail with us 859-429-8811

Land previously owned by The Nature Conservancy sits at the southernmost end of the study zone, by Horse Lick Creek. Five endangered species are documented to live in the watershed. On page 6 of the document ‘Horse Lick Creek’ pdf (in references) there is a chart of federally endangered animal and plant species, as well as other rare plants and animals. Disturbing land that these animals occupy is detrimental to their survival. EKPC may be allowed to contribute to mitigation funds as a ‘solution,’ allowing them to proceed with the project despite any habitat damage they cause. That doesn’t make it right.

Habitat loss refers to the reduction or elimination of the space in which a species or community of organisms lives and reproduces. Habitat fragmentation caused by powerlines is a documented issue, as is the high volume of killed or maimed large birds caused by them flying into the powerlines. Owsley Fork Reservoir is on the migratory flight path for Canadian geese and is home to cranes and nesting bald eagles, which would be impacted by the proposed line.

Historical or Archaeological disturbance: Ensure you have registered any historical or archaeological significant sites for the NEPA process using section 106 citizens guides (see references for weblink).