U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) launched an online petition to give Pennsylvanians an outlet to express their opposition to the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC). Senator Casey launched the petition in reaction to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) decision to deny a rehearing of its decision to designate three-quarters of Pennsylvania’s counties as part of the NIETC.

“For too long, the United States Department of Energy has ignored Pennsylvanians who are opposed to the siting of the NIETC,” said Senator Casey. “The DOE refuses to hold any more hearings on the issue and refuses to consider our public comments. If the Department of Energy will not come to Pennsylvanians, then I will bring Pennsylvanians to the DOE so their voices will be heard.”

Because of the NIETC, communities and farms across Pennsylvania may be subject to broad new federal authority over transmission line projects that do not serve customers in Pennsylvania, according to the Senator.

Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Department of Energy was given the authority to designate a power line corridor in portions of 10 states and 220 congressional districts in the Mid-Atlantic region. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 included new authority that allows the Department of Energy (DOE) to designate critical congestion areas for electricity and further give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the power to over rule state transmission line siting processes. In Pennsylvania alone, the DOE designated 52 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties as part of the NIETC.

Before and after the DOE decision, Senator Casey has expressed his opposition to the plan. During the markup of the 2007 Farm Bill, Senator Casey introduced an amendment that would have prohibited the use of eminent domain in placing electric transmission towers on vital agriculture lands.

Senator Casey has met with Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and written two letters expressing his opposition to the Department of Energy’s final decision to build the NIETC through 52 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. During their meeting and in correspondence, Senator Casey also urged the Department to conduct more public outreach. And in January, Senator Casey held his own public meeting on the power lines issue in Harrisburg.

In October 2007, Senator Casey met with Assistant Secretary of Energy Kevin Kolevar to discuss the corridor. Senator Casey also met with and has corresponded with Joseph Kelliher, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee, a key figure involved with developing the corridor.