High voltage power lines may soon become more prominent in York County. That's because PPL recently announced a proposal to run lines from western Pennsylvania into New York.
Glenn Wagner is a second generation landowner. His father bought the property decades ago...35 acres of untouched land in Monaghan Township, York County. That was until an electric company built high voltage power lines right down the middle. Wagner drove FOX43 to his land to show us how the power lines have impacted his property which now takes up 5 acres of land.
"Those 5 acres I still pay taxes on. They don't see any expense there," says Wagner.
Evidence of dead trees and plants which were ruined, Wagner says the power lines damaged a lot of his land. York County Conservation Manager, Mark Kimmel, says building more lines would pose a number of issues.
"Impact to forest land where they remove trees where the power line right of way runs through forests - you've got pinch points like wetlands and stream crossings..." says Kimmel.
A proposal to build more high voltage power lines in York County is on the table. If approved it would cost 4 to 6 billion dollars and take about 8 years to build. PPL spokesperson Joe Nixon says the plan would add jobs and save people money.
"Preliminary studies show that customers in states that would be served by this line would save hundreds of millions of dollars a year compared to what they would have paid without the line being built," says Nixon.
The plan was introduced in July and the exact route of the line has yet to be determined. But those involved say it will likely go through forests and farm land.
Although a different company built the lines on Wagner's property, he says he's never seen cost-saving benefits. He's hoping the new plans steer clear of his land.
"I don't like it at all. I don't want it on my property, my past experiences tell me that I don't want any part in that," says Wagner.