A study is only as good as the person who commissioned it. I don't know who commissioned this study, but it would not surprise me if it were bought an paid for by the fracking industry.
On a recent eminent domain case I worked on, we looked for studies on the effect that high tension powerlines had on the value of the property. It seems like a no-brainer that if someone puts 80'-high poles on your land, with 8 electric lines strung across them, there will be a diminution of value to your remaining land. Who is going to want to buy it and live next to that monstrosity?
I actually found a study that indicated that the presense of such power lines INCREASE the value of the remaining land, though slightly! What a joke... it was published in an electric transmission association trade publication, of course.
There were also some studies that indicated that there was no effect. Some of these were written by university professors and my guess is that they were funded by the electric industry, though they conveniently leave that information out of their reports.
Most studies indicated a 10% to 20% diminution in value. Those just seem more realistic to me.
To give you an idea... the only case in this series of appropriations that went to trial, the electric company argued that the homeowner should be compensated $16,900 for a 5 acre easement on 100 acres of land. It cut right through the middle of this beautiful farm, complete with restored farm house, barn and pond. The jury awarded $175,000!
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