Judge overturns ban on high-power transmission lines

MARIETTA - A Superior Court judge has overturned Cobb County&#39;s nine-month ban on new high-power transmission lines. <br> <br> Wednesday&#39;s ruling by Judge Robert Flournoy came in a lawsuit brought in October by Georgia Transmission Corp., which installs lines for the state&#39;s 39 electric membership cooperatives. <br> <br> The company wants to install a new line from the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park to near the Paulding County line. <br> <br> Cobb&#39;s is the second county ban to be overturned. The state Supreme Court is now reviewing the rejection of a three-year ban in Rabun County. <br> <br> ``We will be appealing this decision,&#39;&#39; said Cobb spokesman Robert Quigley. The county has 30 days to file a notice with the Supreme Court that it will appeal. A hearing on the appeal is not expected until early next year, Quigley said. <br> <br> Fulton County commissioners passed a temporary ban in September. Dawson County is the fourth county with a temporary ban against new lines. <br> <br> Opposition to land condemnation by power companies has spurred creation of property owner groups in at least eight counties to seek new legislation mandating state oversight of the process. <br> <br> Similar organizations in another seven counties are expected to join the state coalition, according to organizers of Homeowners Opposing Power-line Encroachment.