CHARLESTON, W.Va., April 17, 2009 – Beginning on or about July 1, Appalachian Power, a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), will maintain the rights of way for some power lines in West Virginia by applying herbicides by helicopter.
 
The company generally makes aerial maintenance applications only in less populated areas where terrain and accessibility make it difficult for ground-based crews to safely clear rights of way, according to Scott Bennett, senior utility forester. Rights of way in populated areas, as well as near parks, ponds and other sensitive areas, are maintained by other means.
Customers with questions about the company's aerial maintenance program may call a toll‑free number, 1‑800‑642‑3622, for information. Customers may also write for information at AEP, Bluefield District, 2507 Washington Street, Bluefield, WV 24701; or Charleston District, P.O. Box 1986, Charleston, WV 25327.
 
Herbicides used by AEP have been registered for use on rights of way by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDoA), Bennett said. Herbicides to be used are 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, glyphosate, imazapyr, metsulfuron methyl, fosamine, triclopyr and picloram. Each has been extensively tested by the manufacturer, colleges and governmental and independent research laboratories.
 
Rigid EPA and WVDoA restrictions and regulations are carefully observed by AEP contractors in applying herbicides. All areas to be treated are visually checked by helicopter pilots in advance to verify the location of any sensitive areas and to ensure that people or domestic animals are not visible in the area to be maintained. All applications are made by contractors who are certified applicators. Questions concerning these herbicides may be addressed to the EPA and the WVDoA.
 
Right‑of‑way maintenance agreements between AEP and landowners are available to landowners who prefer to accept responsibility for clearing the right of way crossing their property in lieu of aerial application of herbicides.

The agreement compensates the landowner by an amount equivalent to the cost of aerial herbicide application, provided the work meets AEP’s specifications.
 
Persons who have questions about the program or who want to alert the company to the location of sensitive areas near power lines, such as springs, wells, streams, lakes, ponds, orchards, crop areas, gardens, pastures, meadows, year‑round dwellings, public recreation areas and Christmas tree plantations, should also contact the company. To prevent any misunderstanding about the location of the sensitive areas being reported, the number of the nearest pole or tower should be provided. Numbers are posted on utility poles and on one leg of utility towers.
 
After the maintenance program begins, a 24‑hour telephone service at the above number will provide information daily on locations scheduled for maintenance.

Complaints about possible damage resulting from herbicide applications should be made by contacting AEP at its toll‑free number or the above addresses. Complaints also may be directed to the WVDoA, Pesticide Regulatory Programs Unit, which can be reached in Charleston at 304-558‑2209.
 
Lines scheduled for maintenance in West Virginia include: *

BOONE COUNTY

Baileysville - Kanawha 138 kV – A transmission line on steel structures beginning at the Baileysville Station at Baileysville in Wyoming County and running north-northeast, ending at the Kanawha River Plant at Glasgow in Kanawha County. The area to be maintained by aerial spraying covers only the section from the Kanawha River Plant to the Ten Mile Station in Boone County. 
 
Bim - Hopkins 69 kV – A transmission line beginning at the Hopkins Station near Danville and running south, crossing Route 119 east of Danville and Route 17 just south of Danville. The line then splits and runs southeast, crossing Route 85 at Van, and continues south to the Bim Station at Bim. Also included is the Robinson Tap, which takes off south of Quinland and travels northeast up Robinson Hollow. 
 
Bim - Pine Gap - Sharples 46 kV – A transmission line beginning at the Bim Station at Bim and running south to the Becco Station near Accoville in Logan County. At Kelly Mountain the line turns west to the Logan Station in Logan, passing the intermediate points of Slagle and Yolyn. At Logan the line turns south to the Pine Gap Station near Upper Whitman in Logan County. At the Sovereign Station on Spruce Laurel, the line taps to the west and ends at the Sharples Station near Sharples in Logan County.
 
FAYETTE COUNTY
 
Amos - Chemical #1 138 kV (Dalewood Loop) – A transmission line beginning at a take-off point near Cross Lanes, W.Va., crossing State Route 62 east of Cross Lanes and continuing to a substation on Dalewood Drive off Big Tyler Road.
 
Carbondale - Kincaid 46 kV – A transmission line beginning at the Cannelton Station near Smithers and running east, crossing the Kanawha River at Deepwater. Aerial spraying on this line will stop before the river crossing at Alloy.
 
Carbondale - Tower 117 69 kV – A transmission line on wood poles and steel structures beginning at the Carbondale Station near Cannelton and running east to cross the Gauley River at Brownsville. Aerial spraying on this line will stop before the river crossing at Brownsville.
 
Bradley - Kanawha 138 kV – A portion of a transmission line beginning at the Kanawha River Plant near Glasgow in Kanawha County and running southeast, passing the intermediate points of Gallagher, MacDunn and east of Standard, and ending at the Kincaid Station just west of Kincaid.
 
GREENBRIER COUNTY
 
McRoss - Rupert 34.5 kV – A distribution line on wood poles beginning along Route 20 north of Charmco and running east to Anjean before turning northeast and ending at Clearco.
 
KANAWHA COUNTY
 
Belle - Cabin Creek 46 kV – Two parallel transmission lines beginning at the Belle Station in Marmet and running southeast along the W.Va. Turnpike, passing the intermediate points of Marmet and Chelyan and ending at the old Cabin Creek Power Plant in Chelyan.
 
Belle - Kanawha City 46 kV – A transmission line beginning at the Belle Station in Belle and running north, crossing Campbell’s Creek at its mouth and ending at the Kanawha City Station. 
 
Cabin Creek - London 46 kV – A transmission line beginning at the Cabin Creek Station in Chelyan and running east to the Cedar Grove Station in Cedar Grove, passing the intermediate point of Shrewsbury. The line continues east from Cedar Grove, passes the intermediate points of Riverside and Hugheston, and ends at the London Station in London.
 
Cabin Creek - Turner #1 and #2 138 kV – A transmission line on steel towers beginning at the Cabin Creek Station and running northwest to the Turner Station in Institute, passing the intermediate points of Slaughter´s Creek, Fields Creek, Hernshaw and Davis Creek. Aerial spraying on this line will only include the portion from Cabin Creek to Davis Creek, including the Kanawha State Forest.
 
Baileysville - Kanawha 138 kV – A transmission line on steel structures beginning at the Baileysville Station at Baileysville in Wyoming County and running north-northeast, ending at the Kanawha River Plant at Glasgow in Kanawha County. The area to be maintained by aerial spraying covers only the section from the Kanawha River Plant to the Ten Mile Station in Boone County. 
 
Bradley - Kanawha 138 kV – A portion of a transmission line beginning at the Kanawha River Plant near Glasgow in Kanawha County and running southeast, passing the intermediate points of Gallagher, MacDunn and east of Standard, and ending at the Kincaid Station just west of Kincaid.
 
LINCOLN COUNTY
 
Stone Branch - Harts 34.5 kV – A distribution line on wood poles starting at the Argus Energy Prep Plant and running southeast, passing the intermediate points of Parker Branch, Devil’s Trace and the mouth of Manns Knob, and ending at Big Branch.
 
LOGAN COUNTY
 
Chauncey - Pine Gap 46 kV – A transmission line beginning at the Chauncey Station at Chauncey and running west to the Pine Gap Station south of Upper Whitman, passing no intermediate points.
 
Logan - Sprigg 138 kV (Chauncey Tap) – A transmission line beginning at a take-off point near Whitman, south of Logan, and running west to the Chauncey Station in Chauncey. 
 
Mud Fork - Holden 12 kV – A distribution line on wood poles starting at Holden and running southwest along U.S. Route 119 before splitting in two directions. One portion of the line continues to run southwest and ends at Hidden Cove, while the other runs northeast and ends at the Logan County Public Service District water tank and the Southwestern Regional Jail.
 
Mud Fork -  Mud Fork 12 kV – A distribution line on wood poles starting at the Mud Fork Station and running southeast, crossing State Route 73, turning west to the Mud Fork Bridge on U.S. 119, then turning southeast before crossing a hill and ending at Aldridge Branch.

Stone Branch - Big Creek 12 kV – A distribution line on wood poles beginning at the head of Stone Branch Hollow, running east over a hill and ending at the head of Vickers Branch.
 
Stone Branch - Chapmanville 12 kV – A distribution line on wood poles starting at the park-and-ride, running north over the mountain and ending at Kanawha Branch.
 
Bim - Hopkins 69 kV – A transmission line beginning at the Hopkins Station near Danville and running south, crossing Route 119 east of Danville and Route 17 just south of Danville. The line then splits and runs southeast, crossing Route 85 at Van, and continues south to the Bim Station at Bim. Also included is the Robinson Tap, which takes off south of Quinland and travels northeast up Robinson Hollow. 
 
Bim - Pine Gap - Sharples 46 kV – A transmission line beginning at the Bim Station at Bim and running south to the Becco Station near Accoville in Logan County. At Kelly Mountain the line turns west to the Logan Station in Logan, passing the intermediate points of Slagle and Yolyn. At Logan the line turns south to the Pine Gap Station near Upper Whitman in Logan County. At the Sovereign Station on Spruce Laurel, the line taps to the west and ends at the Sharples Station near Sharples in Logan County.
 
MCDOWELL COUNTY
 
Panther – Panther 12 kV – A distribution line on wood poles beginning at Litwar and running northwest, crossing Negro Branch and War Branch, and ending at Upper Long Pole.
 
MINGO COUNTY
 
Sprigg - Wharncliffe 46 kV – A transmission line beginning at the Sprigg Station at Sprigg and running east to the Wharncliffe Station on Spring Fork, north of Wharncliffe. Aerial spraying on this line will only take place from Sprigg to Red Jacket.

RALEIGH COUNTY

Mullens - TamsMountain138 kV – A transmission line on wood poles starting at the Tams Mountain Station near Sophia and running south, passing the intermediate points of Tams and Wyco and ending at the Mullens Station near Corrine.
 
WAYNE COUNTY

Big Sandy - TriState138 kV – A transmission line beginning at the Big Sandy Power Plant in Kentucky and crossing into West Virginia between Hubbardstown and Brick Church in Wayne County. The line runs in a generally northeast direction and ends at the Tri State Station along Route 75 near the Tri-State Airport.
 
Leach - South Neal 69 kV – A sub-transmission line beginning at the South Neal Station on State Route 52 near Neal and running north to United Fuel on Route 1 just north of the Route 1 - Route 52 intersection.

WYOMING COUNTY

Culloden - Wyoming765 kV – A transmission line on steel towers beginning at the Wyoming Station near Clear Fork and running north, ending at the State Route 10 crossing near Cyclone.
 
Mullens - TamsMountain138 kV – A transmission line on wood poles starting at the Tams Mountain Station near Sophia and running south, passing the intermediate points of Tams and Wyco and ending at the Mullens Station near Corrine.
 
 
Appalachian Power has almost 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is a unit of American Electric Power, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, which delivers electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined.  
 
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*Note to Editors: If you wish, you may select only the line descriptions that apply to your county.  E-mail versions of this release are available upon request.