Dear County Manager Romilda Crocamo and Luzerne County Council, I'm writing to you on behalf of concerned residents in Luzerne County who are facing an urgent and deeply troubling situation. A proposed utility project by PPL stands to permanently alter the character, safety, and livability of one of the most cherished regions in northeastern Pennsylvania. We are not opposed to necessary infrastructure--but the current plan prioritizes expediency over responsibility and puts our homes, families, and environment at serious risk. We are asking for your leadership in ensuring that smarter, communily-conscious alternatives are considered. PPL is proposing a 12-mile-long 500kV transmission line from the Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant to the Humboldt Industrial Area, known as the Sugarloaf Transmission Project. The line, along with a 200-foot-wide service road, would cut directly through the most pristine and picturesque part of the Nescopeck/Sugarloaf Valley. PPL already operates a 230kV transmission line through the Sugarloaf Valley and is now working to obtain new rights-of-way in Black Creek Township. If this project moves forward, the region would ultimately contain three separate transmission lines- -one to the east, one central, and one to the west--completely devastating the last untouched gem this area has to offer. To make matters worse, PPL is proposing to use a right-of-way originally established in the early 1900s, when the area was mostly open farmland with very few homes. That reality no longer exists. Today, the land targeted for this transmission line is densely populated with homes and families. A narrow, century-old right-of-way through what was once a rural area does not justify the construction of a massive 500kV transmission line -but that is exactly what PPL is attempting to do. PPL does not currently have a wide enough right-of-way to accommodate this project. They are now approaching individual landowners, seeking to expand the easements to 200 feet placing them, in some cases, within just 90 feet of people's homes. These expansions would introduce towering 240-foot-tal! industrial utility poles into residential neighborhoods- -looming over front yards, side yards, and backyards. People's lives, health, property values, privacy, and their right to quiet enjoyment would be permanently jeopardized-just to name a few of the consequences. Residents would be forced to live with constant noise from humming high-voltage lines, increased exposure to static electricity, and the visual blight of massive poles outside their windows. Outdoor spaces like pools, basketball courts, and family play areas would be directly impacted. Toxic herbicides used to maintain the right-of-way would put children, grandchildren, pets, and the environment at serious risk. This project is not a necessity-it is a decision driven by cost and convenience at the expense of the community. But there is a better way. Viable Alternatives Exist We are proposing several immediate, reasonable alternatives-any one of which could meet PPL's infrastructure goals on its own without destroying homes and neighborhoods in the process. These are individual options, not a sequence or combined solution: Option 1: Refurbish the existing 230kV line to support 500kV capacity Option 2: Maintain the existing 230kV line and build a parallel 500kV line within the same corridor Option 3: Refurbish the existing 230kV line to support 500kV and parallel it with a new 500kV line, creating a long-term solution that meets future energy needs responsibly Council, your leadership is essential to ensure that this project does not move forward in its current form. The residents of Luzerne County are not opposed to progress-we are opposed to recklessness. With your support, we can ensure that this valley remains a safe, livable, and beautiful place for generations to come. Sincerely, John Zola 570-436-3089 Founder of Alliance To Stop The Line