Thursday night residents in Lackawanna County had a chance to sound off at a public hearing.
The power lines would carry electricity from northeastern Pennsylvania to New Jersey. Some residents worry the project will ruin their neighborhoods.
"I enjoy the beauty of the area which will disappear with this line," said one resident.
The proposed towers will be more than twice as high as the old ones. The new lines will carry twice as much current.
The project is part of the proposed Susquehanna-Roseland Powerline which would run near homes including some in Newton Township. Concerned residents came to a public hearing in Clarks Summit.
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PPL said the new power lines will carry electricity from the nuclear power plant near Berwick to New Jersey. The lines would stretch along the ridge west of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, across Lackawanna County's mid-valley to Hawley in Wayne County, towards Bushkill in Pike County, then cross the Delaware River to New Jersey.
Frank Suraci of Scranton worries about his properties in both Newton and Ransom townships. "Hundreds of acres of natural plant and wildlife habitat will be disseminated by this project," said Suraci. "Property values are plummeting right now and don't need any help from an intrusive and destructive eyesore."
An eyesore some believe will only hurt the area.
"PPL is asking us, their own customers, to bear the permanent blight, humiliation, and property devaluation that this line will leave in its way," said Tim McCabe of South Abington Township.
PPL is expected to learn in November if it can build the new power line. If it's approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, construction could start in early 2010.
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