“Duke Power is planning a proposed expansion of infrastructure and has three optional routes for a new transmission line to cut through Greenville and Spartanburg counties, negatively affecting pristine forests, beautiful mountain views, scenic Highway 11 and millions of dollars of property values …Our communities are outraged!”

"The proposed transmission line will potentially run through Buncombe, Henderson and Polk counties in North Carolina, and Greenville and Spartanburg counties in South Carolina. Specific routes will be defined in late 2015. Rights of way will be acquired beginning in 2016. Construction will begin in 2017, with the project expected to be in service in 2019, according to Duke.

The lines will be suspended from steel structures that are an average of about 140 feet tall that will be about 1,000 feet apart, according to Duke’s current plan."

This 'modernization' project will deface and defile the Foothills of WNC and Upstate SC. MANY of the communities and areas to be affected are not even serviced by Duke Energy.

Duke Energy has already been shown to have little regard for the environment, having been fined $102 million in coal ash spill in WNC and MUST NOT BE ALLOWED to move this proposal forward.

Just look at the map on Duke Energy's website to see where the devastation will occur. http://dukeenergyfoothillsproject.power-viz.com/

This project, as planned, is for the financial benefit of Duke Energy and it's stockholders - NOT THE GREATER GOOD OF WNC AND UPSTATE SC. Allowing this project to move forward will ruin our Foothills. And allowing a private entity to seize properties from taxpayers and/or towns is despicable.

Duke's 'public meetings' about this topic have been scheduled at times inopportune for most people to attend (as in during the workday). It's obviously their way of controlling who can comment on this issue. That is why this petition has been formed - to provide an independent public forum for discussion of what this proposed 'modernization' will do to our area and to people.

Both during and after construction (bulldozers w/ diesel; helicopters pulling lines - YIKES!!!!!!), this whole plan will bring nightmares to the Foothills. Watch the video to see and listen to what these types of transmission lines bring....that ongoing buzzing is energy flowing over the lines - fun, right?

Remember what happened to the environment and people when 'energy companies' had free range and destroyed the Appalachians (of which the Blue Ridge is part) through clearcutting and other methods to further the goals of their businesses.

Taxpayers and visitors who put tax dollars into our communities implore government officials to Stop Duke Energy from destroying the environment, aesthetic and peace that residents live and visitors come to the Foothills for.