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Letter to CEO David Ratcliffe 2-19-02. - Wednesday, February 19, 2003

February 19, 2003

Mr. David M. Ratcliffe
President & CEO
Georgia Power Company
241 Ralph McGill Blvd. N.E.
Atlanta, Ga. 30308

RE: Georgia Power's Purchase of 2020 Lenox

Dear Mr. Ratcliffe:

As President of Morningside Lenox Park Association, representing one of Atlanta¹s oldest and most respected intown neighborhoods,  I write this letter to inform you this neighborhood does not support the purchase of 2020 Lenox Road for the purpose of building a substation there.  Given the information currently available to us, we cannot fathom a reason that would require our residentual community to be burdened by an industrial encroachment of any magnatude, and certainly not by a substation!

It is unconscionable that Georgia Power would go ahead with the purchase of 2020 Lenox Road for the purpose of siting a substation without making it¹s plans known to our neighborhood.  The laws at present may give the company the right to do this, but it is a morally corrupt move on the part of Georgia Power.  Sneaking around our neighborhood and moving quickly to purchase a property without sharing your intentions with the neighborhood does nothing to make us believe that our best interests are being considered by Georgia Power. 

Below are some of the many concerns voiced by our residents since this plan has been exposed to the public.  Our list continues to grow.  This is a very sad day for our neighborhood and an indication of just how little Georgia Power cares about the well being of the families who live here.

CONCERNS:

1. The needs of other areas, primarily CDC and Emory, are driving this project, not the needs of Morningside Lenox Park.
2. Morningside Lenox Park is being asked to sacrifice part of it¹s neighborhood without receiving any benefits.
3. What could justify the placement of a substation in a residential neighborhood?  Bottom line cost of the project seems to be more important than our families¹ well being.
4. Despite Georgia Power¹s explanation that this opportunity ³came about suddenly², this project has been planned for some time.   The lack of forthright communications from Georgia Power to the neighborhood makes all their answers questionable.
5. A study in 1998 by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) concludes that low frequency EMF¹s  (Electro Magnetic Frequencies) like those surrounding transmission lines should be classified as Group 2B Human Carcinogen².   Another example of Group 2B Human Carcinogen is asbestos.  Despite this finding and the later California study which links childhood leukemia with exposure to EMF¹s, Georgia  Power seems to think it¹s perfectly acceptable to locate a substation in our neighborhood.  The move to purchase 2020 Lenox without  informing our neighborhood, says much about whose interests come first with Georgia Power.

I am faxing a list of questions to John Kelley and Dan Perkins today.  We have a neighborhood wide meeting set with Georgia Power officials next Tuesday, February 25.  The neighborhood will be there expecting real answers.

Sincerely,

Dianne Olansky, MLPA President
P.O. Box 8156
Atlanta, Ga. 31106
404-885-9846
olansky@bellsouth.net

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