Right of Way acquisition
Appalachian has two key objectives when routing its power lines:  1) routes should cause the least overall disturbance to people and the environment, which includes minimizing the number of homes in the corridor; and 2) property owners should be fairly compensated for any right-of-way easement that must be acquired.

To achieve these objectives for the proposed Blaine-Westlake-Penhook powerlines, Appalachian carefully studied the area to be crossed by the proposed powerlines and developed a 500 foot study corridor that avoids as many homes as possible while minimizing other environmental impacts to the extent practicable.  Home locations are identified from the air and on the ground in order to obtain up to date information for this rapidly growing area.

After the 500-foot study corridor proposed by Appalachian is approved by the County, Appalachian’s engineers and right-of-way agents work with individual landowners to further refine the location of the actual 100-foot right of way within the 500-foot study corridor in order to avoid as many homes or other features and to accommodate the landowner’s preferences to the extent possible.  Typically, no clearing or construction is necessary outside the 100-foot wide right-of-way (except for construction access roads and the occasional removal of tall trees that could fall onto the powerline), so once the final location for 100-foot wide right-of-way has been decided, the remainder of the 500-foot study corridor generally remains untouched.

The procedure that Appalachian follows to acquire the right-of-way easement for the powerline is largely dictated by state law.  Before negotiating with the landowner on the purchase price for a right-of-way easement, Appalachian is required to have an independent appraisal done (unless the value of easement is less than $10,000 based on tax assessment records).  The appraisal must assess the fair market value of the easement to be taken, plus any damage to the residue.  Appalachian must make a genuine effort to negotiate with the landowner and must give the landowner a copy of the appraisal.  If an appraisal is required, Appalachian may not offer the landowner less than the appraised fair market value. 

More than 95 percent of the time, the steps above result in a mutually acceptable price for the easement without going to court.  However, when Appalachian and a landowner can’t agree on price, the process of eminent domain is used to determine the amount Appalachian pays for its easement.  In that case, a circuit court jury will review evidence and establish the compensation due to the landowner.