Owner worries PSE upgrades might harm her horses
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SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. -- There's a David and Goliath power struggle brewing between a utility giant and a horse owner.
Christine Cameron is worried that Puget Sound Energy's upgrades might harm her horses.
Cameron has a soft spot for horses that nobody else wants.
"Simon is 31 and blind," she said. "Lightning was headed for a glue factory in Canada."
But she says a battle brewing by the barnyard is unnerving and jeopardizing her animals.
Puget Sound Energy is updating poles and wires on her Sedro-Woolley property and there's an easement from 1925 allowing it.
But Cameron says new ruts and more wires in her pasture are threatening her land value and posing obstacles for the animals she promised to protect.
"My horses are gonna get hurt," Cameron said.
Cameron isn't just worried about her horses bumping into these wires, but says if they're coming at them fast they could break their necks.
"They could hurt themselves in a hundred different ways," she says. "And all I wanted was for Puget Sound Energy to pay for me to redo the fences so this would be safe -- nope they don't care."
She says PSE balked at the $30,000 price tag.
The KOMO 4 Problem Solvers pressed PSE for answers. I asked PSE spokesman Richard Thompson if there could a fence in the future - just not a fence that costs $30,000.
"There could be improvements to that fence," Thompson replied. "Certainly a possibility that we could help her do that."
PSE wants Cameron to be a happy customer, and promises the Problem Solvers they'll leave her land in good condition.
"We want to try to help her in any way we can," Thompson said.
Even if that means mending fences.
PSE sent an employee to meet with Cameron Wednesday afternoon at her home. She says she offered to split the price of the fence with the utility but was asked about her backup plan if they can't resolve this matter.
Christine Cameron is worried that Puget Sound Energy's upgrades might harm her horses.
Cameron has a soft spot for horses that nobody else wants.
"Simon is 31 and blind," she said. "Lightning was headed for a glue factory in Canada."
But she says a battle brewing by the barnyard is unnerving and jeopardizing her animals.
Puget Sound Energy is updating poles and wires on her Sedro-Woolley property and there's an easement from 1925 allowing it.
But Cameron says new ruts and more wires in her pasture are threatening her land value and posing obstacles for the animals she promised to protect.
"My horses are gonna get hurt," Cameron said.
Cameron isn't just worried about her horses bumping into these wires, but says if they're coming at them fast they could break their necks.
"They could hurt themselves in a hundred different ways," she says. "And all I wanted was for Puget Sound Energy to pay for me to redo the fences so this would be safe -- nope they don't care."
She says PSE balked at the $30,000 price tag.
The KOMO 4 Problem Solvers pressed PSE for answers. I asked PSE spokesman Richard Thompson if there could a fence in the future - just not a fence that costs $30,000.
"There could be improvements to that fence," Thompson replied. "Certainly a possibility that we could help her do that."
PSE wants Cameron to be a happy customer, and promises the Problem Solvers they'll leave her land in good condition.
"We want to try to help her in any way we can," Thompson said.
Even if that means mending fences.
PSE sent an employee to meet with Cameron Wednesday afternoon at her home. She says she offered to split the price of the fence with the utility but was asked about her backup plan if they can't resolve this matter.
It is not just the cost of the fencing whish has to be heavy gauge tall wire  and heavy duty post. It is also the cost of repairing the damage to the land which includes the rutsand re growth of grasses. one of the horses is blind and can not see these new obsticals.
I guess all I'm trying to say is don't be greedy.
I know what it takes to build a horse fence. If there is 1 set of power poles on the entire property, why refence the entire place at a cost of 30K? Fence around the offending wires.
They may have an easement but they don't have the right to damage property and put land owners and their animals at risk.  If PSE's improvement will add obstacles that livestock can be injured on then PSE needs to add some kind of fencing to protect the animals...and maintain that fence.  If their trucks are causing ruts in pastures (or yards or driveways) then PSE needs to fix them.  PSE has an easement they don't own the land.Â
Look at the fencing in the background, t-posts and wire. $30,000??? No way PSE. You can buy a lot of wire and t-posts for that. The power lines and right of way were obviously there when the house was purchased. I could understand bringing in a grader and smoothing the ruts to regrow grass. If the offending wires weren't there before I could even see putting a small fence around where they go into the ground to keep the horses from running into it, but redoing the whole fence, get real. Don't expect the rest of the PSE customers to pay for your "upgrades" if you can't afford them.
Look at the fencing in the background under the power lines, t-posts and wire. $30,000??? No way PSE. You can buy a lot of wire and t-posts for that. The power lines were obviously there when the house was bought along with the right of way from 1925.
I am in the upper Skagit Valley. This work has been on-going for a while and there are many of us who have to deal with it. I lost 7 hours of work the other day, as we couldn't keep the restaurant open during a power outage. I'll live, but I could have used those hours.
I pass by a pasture (not this lady's) every day where there are PSE workers and trucks inside the pasture. There are big ruts from the tires. There are some frightened horses running around the workers in circles, and more horses that just don't care what the workers are doing. It would be nice if PSE could pay for and instal fencing around the work area temporarily, so that the animals can safely avoid the ruts and wires. It might also be nice for the workers- ever had a frightened horse near you? It can be dangerous. $30 grand seems a bit much- but I do not know how much land this lady has- it could be a lot. There has got to be a fair solution.
 @two loons Ideally there should be at least 2.5 acres per horse, now double that
so that the horses can be moved to new grazing pastures. The acreage per horse can
be lessened considerably by supplemental feeding to make up for the lost pasture space.
Having to supply hay and alfalfa and oats would increase the cost per horse kept in higher
density pastures with less acreage per horse. I do not know how many acres are involved
or how many horses the lady has.
I am however pleased that PSE has said that they would try to work with the lady to remedy
this issue.
I, for one, appreciate her rescue efforts regarding theses animals.
If her complaints and stated fears don't result in a fence, I'm sure she would have a lawsuit if those worst fears occurred based on PSE's reluctance to provide her one. Not that I agree with her demands. PSE should be the safety experts here.
KOMO this is a Non-Story. Â
EVERYBODY a victim.
-mmmmmm -- Â Even the horses.
30k for a fence?! What planet is this lady coming from?
 @kelliellid I was thinking the same- but she could have a lot of acreage. It takes a lot to have horses. You need roughly an acre per animal minimum I think.
 @kelliellid I'm having a new fence installed around my backyard that is about 3K...and that's a residential house. Granted, we don't know how large this fence is, but one would guess she's got ACRES of land that will need to have proper fencing...easily costing a lot of money. People don't realize that horses cost thousands of dollars to care for.
@kelliellid I'm gonna guess that is the cost for the fence and installation, now keep in mind this isn't just a little fence around your back rad, but rather a pasture that is probably 3+acres.Â
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 @greenecho I'm thinking the wires she's referring to are guy wires that brace poles. Still, I agree, what kind of fence costs $30,000? I bet you could put up the best cyclone fence for less than that. She probably wants one of those really nice looking white vinyl fences that are super fancy.
 @jcman  @greenecho Horses need acreage and the fencing for
that could easily exceed $30,000.
Greenecho- I too believe that the wires of concern are the guy wires that help
keep the poles erect during high wind conditions.  Any actual power lines
would be at considerable height above ground for the sake of overall safety.
Â
I find it refreshing to find out about individuals that care about endangered
animals the way she does.
Helping the animals and our fellow man are both worthwhile goals.
Just fix the damn fence. .I'm fairly certain PSE is not going broke so fix it.
@fyrefawx having wealth does not obligate anyone to spend it. If they started having expectations of coughing up $30k on every rural upgrade, guess who pays for that? Not them, it's you and I.
 @Eichler4  @fyrefawx We already are paying more for the upgrade- no reason this lady's horses should get killed in the process. Horses = acreage. Fencing off many acres costs a lot of money. I'm guessing there can be an equitable solution, and it's cool that PSE seems to intend to find one.
 @Eichler4 Oh please, get over yourself.  Interesting name.