City, state and Citizens Advocating Responsible Energy (CARE) officials gather around Chardon Mayor Karen Simpson to discuss the alternative transmission line's impact on the city.

Courtesy of the Geauga Park District) This is the route of FirstEnergy's alternative transmission line that follows the central portion of the Maple Highlands Trail and runs through Chardon. The route was walked by state and local officials last Wednesday.

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Walk explores bike trail as power line route

By Glen Miller

State officials got their first look last Wednesday at an alternative route that could run a FirstEnergy transmission line along part of the Geauga Park District's Maple Highlands Trail and through the City of Chardon.

About 15 people, including Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency officials, spent roughly four hours walking the approximately 7.5-mile route.

The group walked along the serpentine trail from a Mayfield Road parking lot at Headwaters Park in Claridon Township to a FirstEnergy substation on Fifth Avenue in Chardon.

"This is just our first look. We're just exploring options," said Jim O'Dell, a OPSB site analyst. "We're not here for a position of advocacy. We're here to gather information. That' s it."

The analysis could take many weeks to complete and may involve a second exploratory walk along the trail and use of county aerial and Global Information System (GIS) maps of the bike trail and Chardon route, he added.

"This is just a first starting trip," O'Dell said.

The state officials were accompanied by City of Chardon and Geauga Park District officials, as well as members of the Citizens Advocating Responsible Energy (CARE). The citizens' group opposes the current proposed route that would run from a FirstEnergy substation close to Headwaters Park north through Huntsburg, Montville and Thompson townships. It would be located several thousand feet east of Route 528.

The county bike trail and Chardon route follows an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The OPSB's decision to explore it as an alternative route occurred after CARE attorney Thomas Lee inquired if the bike trail had been evaluated.

The transmission line and 80-foot-tall poles would be located immediately adjacent to the paved trail. It would force the removal of numerous trees and plants, and negatively impact several nearby high quality wetlands and streams, according to park district Executive Director Tom Curtin.

The park district will challenge the alternative route in court if it is recommended by the siting board, he added.

"It's not so much the poles going in every 200 feet or so, it would be the clearing of the land that would have negative effect," said Paul Pira, a park district biologist. "It would cause a disturbance that would allow invasive species of plants to spread more. They could potentially negatively impact (adjacent) wetlands."

Once the 138 kv transmission line reaches the city, it would cut through residential and commercial neighborhoods along South Street (Route 44), Park Avenue and Water and Center streets, before terminating at the Pinegrove Substation on Fifth Avenue.

Mayor Karen Simpson, City Manager David Lelko and Assistant City Manager Randy Sharpe walked with the group.

"I'm concerned. I'm concerned about the impact it would have on the city and the residents. It's not a good idea that we want to see happen," Simpson said. "We want to keep the city attractive."

The OPSB's recommendation will not be made public until 15 days before public hearings on the proposed power line. Those hearings may be held sometime in June, if the analysis is complete. FirstEnergy also has to finish engineering for the alternative route, O'Dell said.

The public and adjudicatory hearings originally were scheduled for May 12, 13 and 21, but were postponed last month at the request of American Transmission Systems, Inc. (ASTI), and The Illuminating Company, subsidiaries of FirstEnergy. The delay gives the companies more time to collect supplemental data on the environmental and social impacts, and engineering feasibility of routing the proposed transmission line along the suggested bike trail-Chardon route.

FirstEnergy prefers to utilize the Route 528 corridor, although another north-south route running along Clay Street through the townships also was considered, according to FirstEnergy spokesman Mark Durbin.

Also walking with the group was Ted Krauss, FirstEnergy's supervisor of transmission-siting. He said The Illimunating Co. previously considered a route that followed parts of the bike trail before CEI became part of the energy giant in the mid-1990s.

The OPSB approved the route. It was abandoned because of technological innovations that occurred following the merger between Ohio Edison and The Illuminating Company with FirstEnergy, according to Durbin.

The technical innovations have allowed the company to use its existing power line route along Mayfield Road from Chester Township to Middlefield. Now, the transmission line proposed by FirstEnergy is needed to meet increased demand in the Middlefield area and southeastern Geauga County, he added.