News Release
Contact: Bonnie Jones, Jackson EMC, 706-367-6114; Terry Cullen, GTC
Phone: 770-270-7207
Email: bjones@jacksonemc.com
Survey of Jackson County Historic Sites Debuts at Co-op Annual Meeting
JEFFERSON, Ga. -- To avoid displacing historical landmarks, Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC) is making use of a historic resource survey program as rapid growth continues to require construction of new electric transmission lines and substations for member cooperatives, including Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC). EMC members will be the first to view survey findings that include 2,232 historic properties in Jackson County at their annual meeting in Jefferson on September 23.
GTC is a major sponsor of the FindIt! Historic Resource Survey Partnership that also includes the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the University of Georgia (UGA) and other organizations. UGA graduate students in the Historic Preservation Program identify and document the resources through a countywide survey. The data then become part of the SHPO's inventory of identified historic and cultural properties.
Eligible properties include historic districts, sites, buildings, structures or objects that meet state or National Register of Historic Places standards. The Jackson County survey includes landmarks such a Commerce water tower and a Hoschton mill. Similar FindIt! surveys are being conducted in other high-growth counties throughout the state.
"We're honored to be able to share the survey results with our members at our annual meeting. Identifying and preserving historical landmarks secures the county's heritage for generations to come and serves as part of the rich history that makes us who we are today," says Randall Pugh, Jackson EMC president and CEO.
"Participating in these surveys benefits GTC, because we're ahead of the game when we prepare to build transmission lines and substations," says Christy Johnson, environmental and regulatory compliance coordinator, GTC. "By having this information readily available in a database, we are able to incorporate it earlier in our planning process and meet customer needs more efficiently and effectively while preserving the historical aspect of the community."
The display also may be viewed at Jackson EMC headquarters from September 24 - October 15, and at Crawford Long Museum, from October 18 - November 12. GTC plans to co-sponsor similar displays with other EMCs as surveys are completed in other areas of the state.
About Georgia Transmission Corporation: GTC is a not-for-profit cooperative owned by 39 EMCs in Georgia, including Jackson EMC. Georgia Transmission delivers the high-capacity, long-haul power to EMCs that deliver electricity to members along local electric distribution lines and systems. GTC owns more than $1 billion in assets, including more than 2,600 miles of transmission lines and 570 substations across the state.
About Jackson EMC: Jackson EMC is a member-owned electric cooperative providing electricity and related services to more than 180,000 meters in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe Counties.