Powerline Rightaways?

[+dnd2n2]

I know about having to be 30 feet from railroad right aways but what about placing caches on powerilne right aways? Is it ok to do so?

[+briansnat]

They private property.

[+reveritt]

I haven't read any specific rule dealing with power line rights-of-way. I think you just need to use common sense. These rights-of-way are commonly used for hiking in my part of the country. Because power lines could be a terrorist target, I would avoid something provocative, like putting an ammo box at the base of a tower. Other than that, I would just go for it.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Ditto Briansnat's post above - powerlines are the private property of the power company (whether leased or owned) and require permission from the owner.

 

Alabama Power, for instance, regularly destroys hunter's blinds found on their ROW.

[+wandererrob]

I haven't read any specific rule dealing with power line rights-of-way. I think you just need to use common sense. These rights-of-way are commonly used for hiking in my part of the country. Because power lines could be a terrorist target, I would avoid something provocative, like putting an ammo box at the base of a tower. Other than that, I would just go for it.

ALWAYS, always, always seek landowner permission before using their land. Otherwise they will get mad and eventually close it.

[+dnd2n2]

thanks for the insite!

[Max Cacher]

TVA, Tennessee Valley Authority , is the nation’s largest public power company, they have a geocaching policy and power line right of ways are off limits to placement.

 

Max Cacher

Geocaching.com Volunteer Cache Reviewer // Moderator

[+Marcie/Eric]

Electrical transimmision right-of-ways in my area are on any type of property. I notice most of the neighborhoods now being built under them place their parks directly underneath. At least in CA, you cannot build under them, so in new housing tracks, there are huge gaps of open land running underneath these. Since i'm sure the developer owns the property, and not SMUD (power boss in my area) I think they just leave the land unfenced on the ends, and it becomes walking/hiking trails. There are at least two caches i've read in my area placed under these. I've gone on longer than I wanted, but I would look into it before you get discouraged.

 

Just Under the Wire

Edited July 1, 2005 by Marcie/Eric

[+vree]

i've visited one cache that's on the outskirts a power line right of way. i'm sure it's placed without permission and our local power company is pretty strict in their right of way usage statements, so they *can* sneak by. personally, i like getting permission if i have questions about it.

 

from what i found on the web, your neck of the woods looks like Progress Energy territory. their website FAQ says this:

What are the allowable uses of rights of way under Progress Energy transmission lines?

 

Progress Energy understands that landowners want to use right-of-way land for many purposes. Our goal is to work with landowners to encourage uses that are safe for the public and our employees and do not interfere with the reliable operation of the line. Examples of permissible uses include, but are not limited to, agriculture, grazing, parking lots, temporary storage, entrance and exit crossings. We also support the co-location of gas pipelines, water lines and other facilities.

 

it could fall under "temporary storage" i suppose. best plan is to contact them and ask. their allowable uses seem pretty reasonable.

[+Capt Rod]

Power line right a ways are almost always private property. If it is the big high voltage lines this is normally owned by they power company and it is posted most of the time. In NC I think it has to be owned by the power company. Now the smaller lower voltage lines that you normally see are usually on private land and Power Company has an easement for use and access for maintenance. The landowner maintains all other control of the land. Now with that said if a guy in a power truck accesses this land for any other use, for example, say he shoots and kills a deer from the power truck when sitting in the right away. The land owner can have him charged with trespassing. He could also face other charges like hunting on private land, discharging a firearm from a vehicle ect... So even though the power company has an easement they can only entered on official business. We had something like this happen on my parents land. I am sure this changes from state to state though. We have also confronted and charged people (after several warnings) on 4 wheelers riding on the right away damaging the land. We got tired of telling the parents and hearing my little Johnny would not do that, so we let the Sheriff handle it.

[+VegasCacheHounds]

Here in Dallas many of the power line easements do double duty as parks and are under the authority of the city they are in. Heck, I think half of Planoss offical parks are under powerlines

[+wimseyguy]

I know about having to be 30 feet from railroad right aways but what about placing caches on powerilne right aways? Is it ok to do so?

Like you have already been advised, ask permission. Different locations will have different policies for use.

PS it's 150' for RR's not 30'.

[+briansnat]

These rights-of-way are commonly used for hiking in my part of the country.

 

That's true, but this is usually through easements granted to the trail planners. I worked on building a trail last year and we spent time negotiating with a power company just to allow the trail to cross a 100 foot wide swath of a power line. We just wanted to cross the darn thing, not build the trail along it.

[+Renegade Knight]

I know about having to be 30 feet from railroad right aways but what about placing caches on powerilne right aways? Is it ok to do so?

Power companies may or may not own the land the right of way is on. Typically the US Government would allow the right of way but retain ownership of the land.

 

What use is allowable within the ROW depends on the agreement. For example I doubt that on Government land you have to stop hunting, skiing, hicking etc because you hit the edge of the ROW. On other private property different agreements may apply.

 

Typicaly a land owner will allow the easement for the power company and retain all other rights. The land owner can still give permission for a cache as long as the cache doesn't mess with the power companies ability to transmit power and maintain their lines, poles, and towers.

 

In Hydro Generation areas FERC usually requires that they allow recreational use of the river, and lake and surrounding lands as part of the licence to build and operate the hydro plant. This can even force the power company to force the owner via eminent domain to allow recreation though the owner might feel like Posting their property "No Tresspassing".

 

In my case I would not worry about placing a cache under a power line with two items worth noting. Power lines mess with GPS reception, and the power company can and will come along on occasion with big trucks and clear vegitation. That could have an impact on your cache.

 

Rail Roads were given the land, and their rights pre-date many Western States existance.

Edited July 1, 2005 by Renegade Knight

[+Renegade Knight]

These rights-of-way are commonly used for hiking in my part of the country.

 

That's true, but this is usually through easements granted to the trail planners. I worked on building a trail last year and we spent time negotiating with a power company just to allow the trail to cross a 100 foot wide swath of a power line. We just wanted to cross the darn thing, not build the trail along it.

This must be an Eastern US, Western US thing. I would imagine they own their land more in the East where in the West it's more easements and less ownership.

[+Wacka]

In one open space park in my area a trail up the mountain is called the PG&E (Pacific gas & Electric) trail because it is the access road for the electric towers.

[+hikergps]

Here in Dallas many of the power line easements do double duty as parks and are under the authority of the city they are in. Heck, I think half of Planoss offical parks are under powerlines

I take it there isn't much kite flying in Planoss! There is a trail not far from here that is the ROW for high tension lines. It is a maintained trail on BLM managed land. We also have large lines that pass through the county that farmers are allowed to farm under. I'm not sure that I would want to hang out under the lines all that much though, anything that buzzes constantly can't be good to hang around. I remember seeing pics of flouresent tubes being stuck in the ground under those and being lit up. Creepy. I'm sure your parks are wonderful though! Just wouldn't want to live under the lines.

[+reveritt]

These rights-of-way are commonly used for hiking in my part of the country.

 

That's true, but this is usually through easements granted to the trail planners. I worked on building a trail last year and we spent time negotiating with a power company just to allow the trail to cross a 100 foot wide swath of a power line. We just wanted to cross the darn thing, not build the trail along it.

Most of the trails I have in mind are not Planned--they are traditional. And most of the power lines run on easements across property that may or may not be private. The utilities do not own all of the property that their lines run across. Much of it is state land, public park, etc.

 

When the utility companies in my part of the country don't want you on their property, they post notices. That does not seem to be the case under most of the power lines around here.

 

In other words, the presence of power lines is not generally an issue.

[+VegasCacheHounds]

Here in Dallas many of the power line easements do double duty as parks and are under the authority of the city they are in.  Heck, I think half of Planoss offical parks are under powerlines 

I take it there isn't much kite flying in Planoss!

Whadya talking about? I fly my kite all the time in Plano parks and I've nev..ZAP!

[Colonel Mustard]

The power line that crosses my property in PA does so via an easement that is written into the deed of my property. I still own the land and can do anything I want, provided that I do not hinder or interfere with the placement or operation of the power line or cause any harm to owner or some such legalese. At the same time the power compnay is restricted in what they may do. They do retain the right to trim trees out of the lines, but I can plant as many as I like. The 500KV transmission lines and steel towers south of me are placed in the same way, however there is a provision regarding the building of permanent structures within a certain number of feet of the towers. And a restriction on trees within so many feet of easement. The land they sit on is still retained by the original property owner. Railroads generally own the land that their tracks are layed on. And many of those ownerships date back to the 1800's. In the west they were often federal land grants. In the east they were purchased. So if the property owner gives you permission to place a cache, and the power company has placed no restictions on the landowner, go for it.

[+vree]

Whadya talking about?  I fly my kite all the time in Plano parks and I've nev..ZAP!

[+M&DofKJE]

Gee, and no one talked about how power lines disrupt GPS reception....

[+sbell111]

or the brain cancer thing.

[+Team Cotati]

Right OF Way.

[+Team Cotati]

or the brain cancer thing.

I thought that that was a feature of cell fones.